Unanswered Questions
by BlackFingerlessGloves
Summary: How did Courtney and Duncan's relationship fall apart? What happened to Duncan after Chris pushed him off the plane? And how did he come to like Gwen ?
1. Food Fights and Friendships

**Hey there!  
Here is the first chapter of very my first fan fic :) (so exciting)  
This is set after TDA, when Duncan and Courtney get back together.  
The start is just a little random thought that ran through my mind one night...  
The plot actually starts progressing at about the 5th or 6 paragraph...**

**The story will be based upon DXG, but i wanted to include the reasons behind the DXC breakup first, just cause i felt lilke it.**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters or the TD series in any shape or form. If i did, i would be making my fan fic a fan reality.

**Anyways, without further boring comments...  
Enjoy!**

* * *

Duncan never liked Courtney.

No. He liked the fact that he could crack open her goody- goody façade and find a partner in crime. He liked the fire that rumbled within the dark depths of her, only surfacing when 1 million dollars was on the line. He liked the girl who helped her raid Chef's fridge in season one, leaving nothing but a fish behind. He liked the girl that wrestled him to the ground in a pit of balls. He liked her temper. Not Courtney.

Courtney never liked Duncan either.

To her, Duncan was her doll. She was determined to make him her male counterpart, to alter every aspect of his being to satisfy her towering needs. He's just another project on her to do list, just another flaw to erase. She doesn't like him; she likes what she could make him become. Her high expectations placed before Duncan in the form of a 32-page letter, showing him how to behave if he wanted to call himself her boyfriend.

Polar opposites.

Only hanging on for the thrill of the ride, the hype of the reality show, the sides of themselves that is rarely seen.

The show is now over. 2 seasons done, 1 million dollars now in Duncan's trust fund. Coincidently, Courtney now stands by his side, as if she is completely oblivious to the fact that he voted her off the show. Blinded by the money, she now leaps into Duncan's arms, and seals her devotion with a passionate kiss. So the fire returns.

The weeks trickle by. The relationship crumbles. Duncan realises the fire in Courtney's eyes has faded, and is replaced by that high maintenance chick who wouldn't jump off the cliff at Camp Wawanakwa. The Courtney now isn't the Courtney he fell in love with. She was gone. He didn't want it to be so. He craved to see her face ignite with determination once more. He wanted his old Courtney back.

Duncan decided to take Courtney out to dinner, hoping to salvage their frail relationship before it falls apart. Too bad Courtney has already lost the spark. She was getting tired of disappointment. She's frustrated that Duncan isn't becoming her perfect man. All she wants is to grab her scissors and chop of his stupid Mohawk in his sleep, to push his lazy body out of bed and into a classroom. When she runs for office, she wants to be able to tell the story of the man who's life was heading nowhere, and how she pulled him from the lure of the streets and made him a successful man. But Duncan wasn't helping one bit.

"So Courtney how was your day?" Duncan's voice travelled over the exquisite food, around the room, but not into the ears he intended. Courtney's head remained down, enthralled in her PDA, not bothering to acknowledge her boyfriend. She was giving him the silent treatment because he swiped two temporary heart tattoos from an arcade. She only applied it to humour him. Soon he will change.

Duncan was catching on to the reason behind Courtney's icy manner.

"Ok look, they're two tattoos! Who's going to even notice that they're gone? I got it from a box of like, 100! Seriously Court, can't you just chill out? Remember the time we raided the fridge together? You were fearless! What happened Princess?" Duncan's rage rose slowly, and with it, sadness. He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, because Courtney slowly rose from her chair, eyes fixed upon Duncan in slits of ire.

"What happened? I'll tell you what happened. The show finished. We got back to our real lives. In real life, you can't steal things without getting caught. In real life, you can't get anywhere without following rules, and in real life, you can't live your life with a boyfriend who won't even go to school! So that's what happened Duncan. You happened." Courtney's breath came out in deep pants, as if her speech drained all of her energy. Unlike her boyfriend, she felt no tinge of sorrow as Duncan stood up and stared at her with a look of complete hurt.

"I happened did I? Well I'm sorry you feel that way. You won't have to worry about me happening anymore. Goodbye Courtney." Before Duncan could turn to leave, Courtney quickly grasped a handful of food and hurled it at him, his face now soaking. Being the person that Duncan is, he couldn't just let it go. He replied with a decent handful of tomato upon the brunette's hair.

And the rest was history.

* * *

Through the cameras from Celebrity Manhunt, their rage fuelled food fight was streamed all over the airwaves, and their break up was final.

Duncan sat on the couch of his living room, watching the show with disgust. Don't they have better things to do? Then Josh and Blainely mentioned Gwen.

Gwen.

She was his best friend on the show. He stood up for her when she was accused of throwing challenges. She gave him someone to talk to when he was separated from Princess, and now, before Duncan's unbelieving eyes, she calls him hot on international television.

Not until now has Duncan even considered thinking of Gwen in _that_ way, but now that he does, it doesn't feel any different. It's as if he's always felt something for her, as if he's always loved her beautiful pale skin, her large innocent eyes and her elegant highlights, which by the way, matched his eyes. Maybe his attraction to playing with fire AKA Courtney has blinded him all this time from the girl he really likes.

Looking back, Gwen was pretty awesome on the show.

He remembered her beating him in the awake-a-thon; that took a lot of effort. He remembered scaring DJ out of his wits with her; she recalled the movie perfectly. He remembered her beating the crap out of the _real_ psycho killer in the horror movie challenge. Now that took guts, and he loved it when Gwen's boot came into contact with the killer's mouth; she deserved way more than a high-five. He remembered that Gwen wanted to burn down Camp Wawanakwa and make it a graveyeard if she were to win. Why didn't he support her? That would've been the greatest day of his life; way better than raiding a fridge. He then remembered the fact that Alien Chunks is her favourite alien movie. Now that moved way her up his "You're Alright Meter". Come to think of it, Gwen was just like him, minus the criminal record. He liked that. A lot.

"Duncan! The limo's here to pick you up for the Gemmi awards!" Duncan's mother snapped him out of his memory montage as he briskly picked up his essentials, (his pocket-knife and lighter) and headed out the door. He laid his head on the back of the cushioned seats and resumed his thoughts on Gwen as the engine purred softly.

She'd be at the reunion wouldn't she?

Duncan's face lit up with a smile. Who knows where that could lead to? Now that Elvis was out of the way going ga-ga for number 9 he has nothing to worry about. That was until he realised that Courtney would be at the reunion too.

* * *

**So there you go!  
Hope you liked it  
It probably wasn't my best work... just something that i wanted to type up cause it sounded interesting in my head.  
reviews are greatly apprieciated  
next chapter will come soon  
Toodles :)**


	2. A Pyro Needs His Fire

**Hello hello:)  
So here's chapter 2.  
Ok to all the DXG fans out there don't stress about the final bit of the chapter. I kinda had to do it because that's what happened on the show.  
I kinda enjoyed writing it though...  
Ok now for**** apologies. I'm sorry if this feels like i'm just re writing the whole episode, but i kinda had to because i'm including what the characters (mainly duncan) is thinking/feeling, so the dialogue and events needed to be written, so plase don't fall asleep.  
also sorry if it feels rushed. I just wanted to focus mainly on Duncan,Gwen and Courtney, so some of the episode is either summarised or skipped completely.  
sorry **

Oh yeah, and i own nothing... :)

**Anyways, i hope you forgive me  
Now enough with boring apologies...**

**I'll let you read the chapter in peace :)  
**

* * *

Chapter 2

Duncan stared out the tinted window of the limo. Gwen wasn't there yet. He saw several fans and the paparazzi standing behind the velvet rope, and a crimson rug leading to the door.

He took a deep breath and stepped outside, and was greeted by several blinding cameras, and Courtney, clutching _his _racoon, Brittany. He immediately turned his back on her. He really couldn't be bothered with dealing with her right now. Behind him he could hear an annoying Celebrity Manhunt reporter with purple hair trying to milk some hate out of them to please their viewers.

"You two must just hate each other!" she said with a grin.

He could feel her irritating anticipation fill the air. She anxiously awaited an answer.

He knew what Courtney was going to say, so just to tick her off….

"My lawyer says no comment," they both said in unison. The reporter stood there, dumfounded. Duncan walked away from the awkward situation, but Courtney was now bubbling with curiosity.

"You got a lawyer? For real?" Courtney enquired, now turning to see Duncan travelling further down the carpet, and the reporter's mouth wide open, still in shock.

Duncan smiled.

Of course he didn't get a lawyer. He can afford a way better one than Courtney can, so if he did, Brittany would be in his arms now, but it was worth it to make Courtney look so stupid.

As the other campers/crew arrived, Duncan caught sight of a certain Goth. His insides were illuminated with joy. He was about to walk over to her, when suddenly Tyler tripped on the carpet and brought everyone else down with him. How he longed to talk to her again, but they were separated by a pile of fallen reality show contestants.

The cast struggled to regain their footing, and Ezekiel's annoying "yo-yo-ing" earned him a hard slap from DJ's momma. Once everyone was standing again, they proceeded to enter, but before they could, Chef declared to the world that they were no longer famous.

"Who died and made you doorman?" Gwen's singsong voice made Duncan smile as Chris came out from behind Chef's large figure. Oh boy.

"I did," he said in that annoying tone of his. Lindsay was quick to react, successfully living up to her "dumb blonde" label.

"You died?" she gasped in shock. Duncan shook his head.

"Noah! Coffee! Is that my muffin?" He demanded as the bookwork ran to his side, his eyes covered by stylish sunglasses. Noah handed the host his beverage and a pink bag.

Gwen laughed.

"You're Chris' assistant?" She said with a smile. Duncan laughed along with her, hoping it would evolve into conversation. It didn't.

Several other contestants made fun of Noah and his new job, but Duncan was too busy staring at Gwen to listen.

Another limo pulled up by the carpet, and out came whole bunches of nobody's.

"How are they famous?" Gwen enquired, her voice once again charming a helpless Duncan. Good thing he's a good actor.

Apparently they were part of Chris' new show. Duncan didn't get all the details, but it was called somewhere along the lines of Dirtbag… or something, he was still drowning himself in Gwen's bottomless pool of beauty.

Once all of the "Dirtbags" were inside, including an arrogant Latino called Alejandro, Chris closed the door on the washed up cast, but not before firing Noah over some cold coffee and leaving him outside with his fellow contestants.

The silence was incredibly uncomfortable, only broken by a cricket, which was soon killed by Duncan's red shoe.

"Oh! Now what you have to do that for man?" DJ scolded the delinquent as that purpled haired reporter said that they had to get inside.

"Leave that to me," Izzy said with a menacing grin.

The minutes passed, the teens still standing outside the locked doors, wondering if the RCMP hasn't captured Izzy, until she came out the front door casually while eating popcorn. They cheered.

"Izzy! The door!" the reporter yelled, but before Izzy could react, the door slammed shut and their chance of fame diminished once more. The TV above the door came on with the opening sequence of the Gemmi awards, and Courtney realised something…

"If we win best reality ensemble, we'll be famous again, right?"

* * *

The awards show went on, and on, and on, the cast now reduced to sleeping on the crimson rug, with the excpetion of Brigette and Geoff, who were making out as usual.

"Next up, best reality ensem!" Alejandro announced to the viewing world.

Everyone got up, anticipation pulsing through their veins, even Duncan's heart was beating, all for nothing.

The award went to "Golden Oldies in their Undies" and the cast of Total Drama Island and Total Drama Action were disapointed once more. Courtney was fuming.

"Who cares about that stupid award?" She said as she grasped the TV with both hands, the fire was slowly igniting within the CIT's face. Duncan was speechless.

"I'm going to law school! I have a future!" The televion was flung into the air from Courtney's shaking arms, as the falmes within her erupted, and Duncan now realised why he loved her. Her temper, quick and dangerous, attracted the crimminal like Owen to a buffet.

"I miss that girl," Duncan has now completely forgotten that he was making goo-goo eyes at Gwen just a few minutes ago; she was pushed aside, put on pause, because for Duncan, fire comes first, wether it be the destructive kind, or the kind that was now etched upon's Courtney's furious face.

"And now the award for best reality show host, once again, Chris Mclean!" The TV comfirmed the worst, as that smug, sadistic man went up to collect his award. The cast groaned.

During Chris' speech he mentioned that him and the Dirtbags were going to the Orpah show the following day, and by the devoted and slightly creepy persuasion of the reporter girl, the cast were determined to get there first and reclaim their well deserved fame.

* * *

"You said they were washed up!"

"That was before they set off on an unforgettable comeback adventure!"

Chef and Chris' debate was centred around the desperate cast, now travelling to the Orpah studios in DJ's tour bus. Courtney was criving, with Gwen, Izzy, Heather and Duncan by her side. Courtney complained about the speed of the bus. Gwen was qucik with a reply.

"Uh, maybe you should let Duncan drive," she said, as if she forgot who she was talking to.

"Not helping Gwen!" Courtney yelled back at the goth.

"She's just stciking up for her boyfriend!" Heather's voice was filled with vemon, as Gwen's face turned sour, and Duncan's unibrow curved in confusion.

"Wait, Duncan's you're boyfriend," she said pointing to Courtney,"my mistake." Heather said sweetly, knowing that everyone knew it was intentional.

The Dirtbag bus was up ahead, and using some of Harold's battle skills, they successfully smudged the Dirtbags' windscreen, while on the other side of the bus, a heated argument was taking place between the pyro and his flame.

"Hurry it up!"Duncan yelled.

"Back off! It won't go any faster than this!" The fire was mesmirsing Duncan, he craved more.

"What we need is a man behind the wheel" he said, hoping to see Courtney's face catch alight with fury.

"What you need is some tape over your mouth!" Courtney's rage was escelating; Duncan loved every minute.

"Well, if you just listen to me-"

"Oh I'll start listening, the minute you say something worthwhile!" Duncan was astounded and amazed when Courtney cut him off, he's not far away from cracking her. Duncan leaned in.

"You're insane you know that?" Duncan knew this was it, the fire in Courtney's face was now overflowing, yearning to come out of it's shelter. Courtney leaned in as well, their faces now inches apart

"And you, are a MONSTER!" Duncan had no reply. He was feeding on the precious flames that bruned through Courtney's dark eyes. He had to have her, and she had to have him. Now.

Their eyes widened in relisation as their lips met, engaging in a firery dance of passion, all of their anger, all of their hatred, was now being poured out in their heated kisses. The fire has returned once more.

Too bad it was at the worst possible time.

* * *

**And that's chapter 2 :)  
i know there's alot of Devastated DXG fans now... but don't worry, i just had to have this because that's what happened in the show. I'm not changing anything from the real thing, i'm just saying what i thought everyone was thinking, or what i wanted them to think. I had to make the reason for duncan switching from staring at gwen to making out with courtney a good one, cause no one just does that randomly, so yeah. **

**a pryo's gotta have his fire.**

**anyways. reviews would be nice, i wanna know how i'm doing...  
still probably not my best, i'm hoping to wow you in the next chapter, which by the way will be up soonish...**

**See ya :)**


	3. Epiphany

**Hey:)  
Thanks so much for your reviews, i'm glad you all like reading it, cause i love writing it.  
I like writing it because it answers all of those loop holes the real show overlooked. I think how Duncan switched from likeing Courtney to Gwen was a bit unexplained and rushed, even though i love the couple. So i'm sorta writing this story to answer those question the way i'd like them answered to satisfy my curiosity.  
That's basiacally where the idea came from.**

i own no bit of this awesome series at all. But if i did, just think of the possibilities... mwahahahaha :)

**And here's chapter 3...  
Hope you enjoy it :D**

* * *

Courtney's back arched against the steering wheel, still attacking Duncan's desperate lips with her own, beathing in his intoxicating aroma. She was far away from that bus now, drifting off to her own perfect world, dancing with danger, where only her and Duncan existed, free of reality shows and malicious hosts.

"Where did Courtney learn to drive?" Chris asked, as he saw the bus travelling off the road, and toward a deep canyon.

Courtney didn't want it to end, she was indluging in the sweet taste of rebellion.

"Courtney! Look out! Left!" Dj snapped her out of her guilty pleasure as she flung Duncan off her reluctantly and tried to regain control of the swerving bus.

The cast were screaming, and Courtney's hands were clinging to the wheel, yanking it in the opposite direction to avoid disaster. She heard a sickening sound of breaking metal, as the front wheel of the bus fell off, leaving the cast travelling directly towards the long fall that awaited them.

The ground of the bus shook, as everyone was being thrown in all directions, searching for a sturdy object to hold on to.

Duncan found his feet once again, and was perched at his girlfriend's side, the couple now desperately trying to save themselves and 20 other people they went on TV with.

"Hit the brakes!" Duncan shouted over the screaming teens, eyes wide open in fear.

"What do you think I'm doing!" Courtney replied, slamming her foot on said brakes unsuccessfully.

As the bus continued to speed towards the canyon, Courtney gave up and threw her arms around Duncan, holding on for dear life. The ground shook violently, people were screaming, the canyon was getting closer.

"So Noah was Chris' assistant. Huh."**(I just had to put that there. I cracked up when I first saw it :D)** Izzy contemplated, as everyone was about to fall to a most horrifying death.

The whole cast was now screaming as the bus reached the canyon, sending 22 helpless teens plummeting down, down, down, making its way to the painful crash that waited them below. The fall seemd to last forever, like they were travelling down a bottmeless hole.

Everyone awaited the collision, closing their eyes, praying, hoping this wasn't the end, but it never came.

"I hope Leshawna doesn't need her bra back!" Gwen yelled as the cast was suspended in mid air, hanging from the elastic from Leshawna's bra. It couldn't hold much longer.

The bra catapulted DJ's bus high into the air, leaving the cast, lots of chocolate, and Beth's motion sickness floating from the zero gravity, before repeating the dizzying process all over again. Everyones stomachs dropped along with the bus, only when they were suspended once more…

"Cut the bra! Cut. The. Bra!" Courtney screamed under the weight of her fellow cast mates, her face pressed against the windscreen. Duncan was quick to obey as he climbed out the back of the bus, pulled out his pocketknife, and sliced the elastic, causing the vehicle to collide with the ground, before falling on its back.

"Well look at that, they're not dead!" Chef exclaimed from the helicopter above.

* * *

Everyone got out of the bus, and just had that feeling that no one was going to save them; they've been through 2 season of abuse, of course they knew better.

"I'm going to get help. And then, we're all gonna party!" Geoff decided, so he, along with Justin, Katie, Sadie, Trent, Eva and Beth set off to find help, leaving the rest alone, to wait to see if they ever return.

Time passed, the fierce sun tiring the remaining cast mates, as they fell under sleep's intoxicating spell. Duncan lied down, with Courtney's head resting on his chest, a content smile frozen upon her peaceful face.

Duncan' eyes closed, as dreams took over his subconscious. The boiling sun sending him deeper into his peaceful oblivion. His heart was beating rapidly, still on edge from basking under Courtney's alluring fire. He needed time to cool down.

After hours of slumber Duncan slowly returned to his body, opening his eyes gradually and looking around. He peered over his chin and stared at Courtney. She was still sleeping. He could almost see a list form behind her eyelids. She's just getting ready to attack Duncan with flaws again. He knows it.

Suddenly a loud collision snapped Duncan out of his realisation. Chris was back with his scarlet helicopter, a magnet securing the bus in mid air. Wow. He actually came.

"They don't call me best reality show host for nothing!" Chris exclaimed as the cast, minus those who sent for help, climbed on the bus, the vigorous exercise exhausting Owen and causing his pants to rip. They were carried away from the deadly canyon and airlifted back to the Abandoned Film Lot.

* * *

"But what happened to Total Drama Dirtbags?" Heather questioned as Chris came to address a confused reality show ensemble, with Alejandro serving pancakes to a gracious Owen.

"It was a trick! There never was any Total Drama Dirtbags!" Alejandro replied, anger dripping off every word.

Duncan sat through the situation with his uni-brow curved. So if there's no Total Drama Dirtbags then why did they just risk their lives to get to Orpah Studios?

"But what about Alejandro?" Heather asked again, Duncan wondered why was she so interested.

He decided to zone himself out from there, until he heard the words "next time" escape Chris' mouth. Oh crap.

"What next time?" Noah asked cautiously. Duncan held his breath. Please not another season, please not another season, please not another-

"A no hose bar race**(Ok i don't think that's what he said, but that's what it sound like. Corrections are welcome**), around the world, in a JET!" Duncan's face twisted. Another season. Just peachy.

"After all the crap you put us through? As if!" Gwen retorted.

"Don't you guys wanna be famous again?" Chris teased.

"Pass" Duncan replied lazily.

The cast were eventually convinced by the sole reason of extreme fortune to compete in the third season, and the sight of their fellow contestants cheering on TV greeted those who sent for help. They were not happy. Let's just say, Eva lost it.

* * *

"Looks like I'm back for another season. And I'll be keeping a _much _closer eye on Gwen. _So _not trusting that boyfriend-stealer," Courtney said to the confessional camera in her usual high tone. She exited the trailer, while Leshawna and Harold entered after her. Courtney started to make a list of things to bring, things to do to prepare for the third season, and ways to keep Duncan away from Gwen. It was going to be a long night.

Duncan and Gwen remained in the Craft Services Tent, waiting until everyone was finished before they went to the confessional, and judging by that Sierra girl's irriatting enthusiasm, they would have to wait for a long time.

"So, another season, huh?" Duncan started casually.

"Yeah, another season of abuse? I just can't wait! And since we're on a jet, there's no escape. Yay." Gwen exclaimed sarcastically, taking a few tips from Noah. Duncan smiled.

"Uh, I feel your pain, Sweetheart. I really can't be bothered going through with this crap anymore!" he replied, as the memory of Celebrity Manhunt flooded back to him. Gwen grinned back. She knew that in Duncan's books, "Sweeheart" meant nothing, but she decided to take it to heart anyway. It was something about his eyes... Gwen quickly replied so she wouldn't be caught staring at Duncan.

"I know! When my brother dared me to Audition, I auditioned for "I Wanna be Famous", not Total Drama Harassment times 3!" Duncan and Gwen laughed together, and an epiphany smacked Duncan in the face like Courtney does when he won't get out of bed.

Staring at Gwen then making out with Courtney, all in a matter of 12 hours? Idiot! This was just like season two, all over again. Deja vu. Soon they will fall back into that same poisonous routine. Soon Courtney will once again try to control Duncan, to transform him into someone he could never be. He just knew it. _Courtney never liked Duncan. She liked what she could make him become…_

Talking with Gwen has made him realise something. Duncan has never had a conversation with Courtney like he does with Gwen every time he sees her. All he does with Courtney is fight and make out. Over and over. It's the only way he can keep the passion alive. But with Gwen, all he has to do is say one word and an hour long discussion would just flow out of their mouths. It's all so natural, so carefree. He knew something was there when his heart was bombaring out of his chest when he wrestled her to the ground in season 2, when he stared deep into her onyx eyes, he could just see that she felt it too.

But he let Courtney get the better of him. Again.

He fell into her trap. He melted under the fire, and now he once again has a control freak for a girlfriend. The flames seemed to have already faded, as her piercing call cut through Duncan like a dentist drill, the past firey afternoon forgotten.

"Dunky! Get out here! We have to pack your bags for season 3!"

* * *

**Ta da!  
And that's that.  
Ok sorry if Duncan seemed like he went through massive mood swings throughout the story so far, but now he's gonna stick to Gwen. Yay!**

**Oh yeah and sorry if some of the quotes aren't accurate, i was literally wacthing the episode while writing this, so my hearing might've been a bit off.**

**Reviews are welcome, and next chapter will be up soon. **

**Peace out :)**


	4. Egypt

**Heya!**

**Here is chapter 4 :)  
Sorry about the long wait. I wanted to wait till i was on holidays till i updated it, cause i had a few tests for the end of term and stuff. Anyways, now while i'm resting for two weeks, ****i'l probably get two chapters done. This is longer than others cause i felt like knocking down the whole first episode in one go. I'm kinda excited for after Duncan gets the boot, so yah.**

**oh and i just wanna let you guys know that i've changed my pen name to BlackFingerlessGloves  
i felt like a change and this sounded better, don't you think :)**

**enjoy :D**

* * *

The rickety bus trudged along the airplane runway, as 17 reluctant teenagers made their way to their third season of reality TV. Gwen stared out the window, slowly letting the seconds tick by until she was once again on that stupid show, at the mercy of Chris. Little did she know that Duncan's teal gaze was glued to the back of her head from across the bus. His full attention was fixed upon the unsuspecting Goth, so he got the surprise of his life when his chin was violently dragged away in the opposie direction by a mocha hand.

"Duncan!"

She turned her boyfriend's head to face hers, with his eyes now resting upon her piercing stare.

"Have you not heard a word I said! Listen to me! Who's more important? Some Goth, or your girlfriend?" Courtney challenged, while on the inside she shyly feared the answer. He remained slient. She threw Duncan's face away from her as she spoke again.

"Now, our biggest threats are the newbies. No one knows them and they could have some sort of hidden skill that could rival ours. So if one of them is on your team, get to know them, see what makes them tick. I've already made a list of everyone's strengthes and weaknesses and I have two more spots left, just for them. Once that's out of the way, we can devise a strategy to pick everyone off, one by one." a malcious smile twsited Courtney's lips. She was so into her strategizing that she didn't seem to notice Duncan's head turning towards Gwen once more, and Gwen's onyx eyes returning his gaze with a smile. Frustration mangled her face. She slowly raised her hand, just waiting for right the moment to strike her distracted boyfriend, when the low-budget bus abruptly jolted to a stop. She'll have to deal with him later.

The cast proceeded to stand up, each one of them carrying a backpack full of essentials, well everyone except Courtney. She dumped her bag on the floor in front of Duncan's feet as the thud shattered the awkward slience shared between the reality show ensemble.

"Carry my bag Dunky. I want to build you're upper body strength so you can help me through the challenges." Courtney commaned in a high tone. Duncan's face twisted as he bent down to retrive his girlfriend's bag, softly cursing under his breath, his innapropriate words left unheard by the brunette standing over him.

Chris's irrtating intorduction could be faintly heard from outside, as Duncan and Courtney exited the bus, with Heather, Gwen and Leshawna trailing behind. Gwen walked straight slowly, until she collided with the back of Heather's bag with a grunt.

"Are there reserve seats? i.e, can I have one, not next to Heather's pony hair ponytail?"she asked rudely. Heather turned around immedieatly.

"Um, my extensions are human hair!" she retored back to the Goth. Duncan took this opporunity to slide in a comment of his own.

"You learn something new everyday," Duncan added, still holding Courtney's bakcpack. Gwen gigled lightly, smiling sweetly at the punk. Duncan mirrored her expression, even though he could feel Courtney's eyes drilling through the back of his head. He couldn't care less.

* * *

"Girls sing, little birdies sing, Duncans do not sing!"

Duncan complained aloud about the new rules of the season as the cast were taken on a tour of the deathtrap they would call home for the next few weeks. Gwen stood next to him, silently dreading the time they'll have to work their vocal pipes too.

Once everyone had a good look at the plane, they proceeded to sit in the dining area, with the exception of Ezekiel, who was trown out of the plane by Chris for well, being himself.

The plane started with a jolt, and the cast were once again off on another season of torture. Once they were well into the air, a bell echoed across the hall and was about to make the competition even more unbearable.

Chris came out of nowhere dressed in a stylilsh tuxedo and asked for a musical number to be created out of thin air. The cast groaned, but Courtney was eager to start singing and kicked off the first song of the season. Duncan and Gwen remained seated. No way were they singing. The song continued, and Duncan was wondering where the backup music came from, as he didn't recall an orchestra getting on board with them. The irritating music sliced through Duncan and Gwen's ears like an incredibly annoying knife.

**_Come fly with us! Come sing with us!_**

"No!" at this point everyone was crowded around the pair who still sat on the table as they screamed in unison. Chris popped up once again and told them that if they remained silent, they would share the same fate as their homeschooled ex contestant; no singing equaled no place in the game.

_Oh no, what a shame. _Duncan thought. Hey, he already had a millioin dollars for his own, he had nothing to lose.

Courtney rushed to her boyfriend's side and sang straight into his ear.

**_Duncan do it, let's go!_**

Even in song Courtney still seemed to irritate her boyfriend with her permanent pushy tone. He could think of another reason to keep his mouth shut. Duncan's face remained twisted and his arms remained crossed over his chest. Plummetting to the ground with a crappy parachute doesn't seem so bad...

**_Gwen sing it, don't go! _**

Cody stood at Gwen's side and begged her to sing with clasped hands. He stared deep into his crush's eyes, hoping she would come to her senses and sing. After all, it was a miliion dollars.

"I don't want to go home," Gwen said, more to herself than the chunky camera that was shoved in front of her. Anger graced her pale face as she stood up from the table and opened her mouth.

**_Come fly with us! Come fly with us! Come, and fly, with us! _**

Duncan sat up. Gwen's voice flowed out of her mouth like velvet, and into the ears of a stunned Duncan. It was beautiful. When he heard Gwen sing, he came up with one very good reason to stay in the game. Let's just say, if she can do it, so can he.

"Come on Duncan please?" Courtney has stopped singing now, all that mattered was making sure Duncan stayed in the game. He stood up reluctantly and raised his arms.

**_This sucks!_**

Duncan dragged on the last note for a while, long enough for everyone to find their way into finishing pose.

_**Yeah! **_

Everyone sang in unison as the terrible song came to an end. This was going to be a long season.

* * *

With a small crackle over the PA system, Chef informed the cast that they were decending into Egypt, and then went on to insult Chris without turing the speaker off, enraging the host and embarrsing himself. Duncan and Gwen snickered to themselves.

"At least he was telling the truth," Duncan's whisper tickled Gwen's neck softly. She shivered at the sensation as she giggled in agreement. Courtney continued to stare at them from the other side of the room, anger shredding her insides.

The plane suddenly landed with a thud, not of the fatal kind, but with enough force to jolt everyone out of their seats and into a large pile of teenagers. Once everyone picked themselves up, they proceeded to exit the jet. They were greeted with intense heat, a towering pyramid and Chris, who was being carried to two unfortunated interns.

Whilst drinking a cool beverage and being shaded by an oversized leaf, Chris explained the challenge. The contestants were to either go over or under the pyramid to reach the finish line. Sounded simple enough.

The contestants lined up at the starting line, but not before Ezekiel came running towards them. Wait how?

"It's called landing gear homie. I climbed it, and hid with the cargo," the homeschooled boy explained proudly. After a short quarrel, Chris agreed to let Ezekiel back in the game, and showed his gratitude by smashing the cymballs into his face, signalling the beginning of the challenge.

* * *

After dragging Duncan by the wrist away from Gwen, Courtney proceeded to take charge. She grabbed some rope and swiftly tied it around her waist, and went to do the same to her boyfriend. Duncan's face twisted in pain as the rope was tied tightly around him by Courtney's strong arms. She started to ramble on about some Tiffany girl in her many experiences as a CIT, and Duncan noticed Gwen climbing up the pyramid by herself, and struggling to do so.

"Hey Gwen! You going over too?" he called up to the Goth, as her leg hung over one of the large blocks awkardly. She grunted while trying to pull herself up.

"Working on it!" Gwen yelled back, strained from the difficulty of getting over the pyramid.

"I think Gwen could use a hand." Duncan told Courtney, with a bit too much enthusiasm for her liking. The last thing Duncan wanted was to be tied to Courtney for hours on end without someone to talk too.

"Fine." Courtney agreed reluctanly, her voice rigid. "But only because a three person belay is stronger," she added quickly before Duncan's head turned up towards Gwen again, the sun piecing his eyes.

"Want to come and belay with us? Because judging by you're awkward position, you could use some help," he said with a smile.

"Gee, thanks. But yeah ok. I'm coming down!" Gwen replied, as she started to jump down the oversized blocks. She moved so gracefully that Duncan used all the energy he had to turn to Courtney. Gwen joined the couple on ground level quickly, and Courtney thrusted out her hand holding some remaining rope in her direction.

"Tie this around your waist, and do it quick. We can't afford to lose any more time." Courtney's voice was stiff, positivity was nowhere to be seen. Gwen grabbed the rope hastily and proceeded to get it around her waist.

"I'll help," Duncan said suddenly, as his hands clamped firmly around the rope, his knuckes brushing against Gwen's torso slightly as he tied the rope together. His heart beat faster with every second, and Gwen's eyes stayed to her feet, so she wouldn't have to face Courtney's fatal stare.

"Ok. Let's go." Duncan said finally, as he walked towards the pyramid, dragging a fuming Courtney and nervous Gwen behind him. He started to climb the first block, when a high-pitched voice rang through his ears.

"Hurry it up Duncan! We're already lost enough time waiting for Gwen to get down!" Courtney yelled up to her boyfriend, as he started to increase his speed, but it turns out it was a bit too fast for Gwen. As Courtney climbled up the block above her, Gwen was dragged voilently upwards, knocking her leg against the edge of the pyramid. She sighed in pain

"Ow! Guys! Stop!" she called up, as Duncan came to a complete halt, and Courtney turned to face Gwen.

"What is it?" Courtney asked tiredly, staring at Gwen in frustration.

"I hit my leg because of you and your stupid speed!" Gwen retorted quickly. Duncan rolled his eyes. She had a point.

"Well, excuse me for wanting to win! We have to go fast because we had to wait for you to get down! Now get over it and keep up with us! I am not losing this season because you got injured!" Courtney screamed into Gwen's face, and Duncan was shocked. He opened his mouth to respond, but Courtney beat him to it.

"Not let's get moving! Dunky! Go!" Courtney called up, as he started to climb again, purposely reducing his speed to make sure nothing else happenes to Gwen.

"Gwen! Hurry it up! Injury or no injury, we still have a chellenge to win!" Courtney nagged again, and Gwen was ready with a response.

"Well, if you were so obsessed with coming in first, why did you even offer to help?" Gwen grunted as she climbed up the next block.

"A three person belay is stronger, well at least it's supposed to be! All you're doing is slowing us down!" Courtney screamed back, her throat burning.

"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't realise I was messing up your precious belay. Let me just cut myself loose and make you happy." Gwen replied sarcastically. Courtney wanted to push her.

"And you're form is appaling!" She called, continuing the quarrel that was giving Duncan the headache of a lifetime.

"Gee, thanks Courtney I was just wondering about that!"

"You know you're only here because I'm feeling nice today!" Courtney reminded her. Gwen struggled to keep a giggle escape her throat.

"Wow, this is you being nice?" Gwen turned her head to Duncan, "my sympathies!" she yelled up to him as he rolled his eyes. Right now, he couldn't be bothered taking sides.

"Are you hearing this Duncan? You're not gonna let her get away with that!" Courtney screamed up to her boyfriend. Duncan sighed.

* * *

After 3 long hours of climbing and arguing, the trio finally made their way up to the top of the pyramid. Each one of them were panting and sweating from the painful heat, and COurtney and Gwen were still trying to bite each other's heads off.

"I'm telling you, we need to untie!" Gwen's voice was strained from her lack of energy.

"And I'm telling you it's unsafe! I'm in charge and-" Courtney's high pitched reply was cut off by a certain host yelling through a megaphone.

"Oh kids," Chris said slowly, before a little bell rang through Duncan's tortured ears. _Oh no..._

"Recognise that sound?" Chris teased. He announced that anyone who hadn't completed the challenge had to sing a reprise of the song they sang earlier, and Duncan lost it.

"You know what? No!" Duncan yelled as he jumped down the pyramid swiftly, dragging Courtney and Gwen behind. He could hear their bodies collide with the solid blocks, but right now he didn't care.

"Dude, you have a contract," Chirs said when Duncan refused to sing.

"Eat it McLean! If you need me I'll be on the plane waiting for a ride home, cause I'm out, done. I quit!" Duncan screamed as he cut himself loose with his pocket knife and stomped away. Little did he know that behind him a girl with blue hair and pale skin lied on the desert floor and lowered her head in sadness as he left.

* * *

**Ok.  
I didn't really like that chapter very much, i kinda rushed it cause i guess everyone's seen it anyway...  
Dont' worry next chapter, the adventure starts! hopefully i can make it way better than this one...  
anyways, review if you like, and stay tuned for the next chapter... should be coming in like, maybe next week or something...  
who knows...**

**ok, i'm having a bit of a debate in my head as to where Duncan should land when he gets eliminated, because it has to be somehwere between Egypt and Japan. There's a poll on my profile so yahh...**

**byee, :)  
and shut the door and your way out!**


	5. Chasing a Delinquent

**ello ello  
fancy seeing you here!**

**i come bearing gifts in the form of chaper 5.**

**enjoy!**

* * *

The sun was slowly falling under the horizon now, the cool breeze racing though Duncan's Mohawk from the open airplane door. He stood next to an unusual wooden statue in the elimination room, watching Team Victory ironically face the chopping block. After everyone voted, it seemed that Ezekiel's dreams of winning the season were as torn up as the parachute Chris handed to him, as he started to badmouth his team. With a swift kick to the backside from Chef Ezekiel was sent plummeting down into some country between Egypt and Japan. Little did they know that he hung onto the plane's wing, the strong wind blowing violently through his baggy clothes. He really was determined.

"Last stop for non competitors!" Chris announced to the delinquent as he handed Duncan a parachute, which looked more like it could kill a person rather than save one from colliding with the ground from a thousand feet.

"Yeah, right. You're supposed to give me a ride home," Duncan replied angrily. After the day he's had, falling to his death wasn't very desirable. Chris smiled.

"Yeah, but we're going the other way so…" he finished his sentence with a hard push into Duncan, sending him falling down back to Earth without the parachute even strapped on.  
"Happy landings!" Duncan didn't hear Chris' final farewell, he was too busy screaming at the top of his lungs. His stomach dropped as he continued to rush down to the hard ground waiting below. The strong wind sent his clothes and hair flapping in all directions. The ground grew bigger with each second. Duncan could hear the air whistle through his body. His eyes struggled to stay open with the wind blowing up against his face. By this point he had managed to flip over and face the ground. The parachute was still in his right hand. He used all his strength to get it on his back. He closed his eyes, as the parachute activated and his life was saved once more from the faulty preparation of Chris McLean.

* * *

Duncan floated down to the ground, his falling over. His feet touched down in the middle of a shady alley in an unknown country. Night has already swept over the busy city he has landed in, and several citizens scrambled across the main road up ahead.

Before Duncan could start walking, something heavy crashed into him from above. He fell to the ground with a painful crunch, the weight of the object prevented him from moving, his face planted into the rough concrete floor.

He could feel strained breaths on the back of his neck. A person landed on top of him. He used all of his remaining strength to lift his face up and speak.

"Can you get up? In case you haven't noticed you're crushing my body!" Duncan yelled at the top of his lungs as the lump of a person stood up slowly. Duncan soon followed with a stabbing pain his back from getting flattened by this stranger.

The person wore a white tank top and green baggy pants. An orange beanie covered most of his hair, and Duncan recognised him almost immediately.

"You're an intern aren't you?" Duncan asked his voice strained from his lack of energy.

"Yeah," the intern replied quickly.

"Do you care to enlighten me as to why you just landed on top of me from the sky? After the day I've had, getting crushed into the earth's crust isn't on the top of my to do list!" Duncan's anger rose with every word. The intern's face remained calm.

"Every time someone's eliminated, Chris sends an intern after them to take them back to the aftermath studio. Now, come on. We have a flight to Canada at 12 midnight, and this Delhi traffic is a nightmare-"

"No." Duncan interrupted, his voice stiff.

"What?" the intern questioned.

"I'm not going with you. There is no way in hell I'm going back to that stupid show! I didn't quit so I could just go on that aftermath crap!" Duncan voice rose and echoed off the alley walls.

"You have to. You signed a contract-"

"I don't give a damn about my contract! Do you not get it? I'm through with that show and it's stupid challenges! Now if you'll excuse me-"

Before Duncan could turn to leave, the intern swiftly twisted the delinquent's arm in a direction it was never meant to go. Duncan's scream vibrated off the walls of his throat, the sound resembling somewhat of an animal. The pain shot through his arm.

"Come on Duncan. You don't have a choice. If you run, we'll find you. Don't underestimate how big Total Drama is. Everyone will know who you are with one look. The show is streamed in 100 counties. So give up now, and save yourself the trouble." The intern said slowly, his calm façade gone and now replaced with a fierce secret agent type of atmosphere. Duncan closed his eyes in pain, and struggled to reply:

"Challenge accepted."

With a quick movement of his right leg, Duncan kicked the intern in the shin with all the force he could muster. As soon as the intern loosened his grip on Duncan's arm, the punk broke from his grasp and sprinted down the alley and into the main road. Several people turned to see the peculiar teenage boy with green hair run through the masses of people as fast as his legs could take him.

The intern followed close by, slightly limping from the pain in his leg. He stayed behind Duncan, who weaved his way through people, cars and several other things one would find in the busting city of Delhi.

Duncan turned into another alley, the sound of the intern's footsteps ringing through his ears. He moved through several obstacles in his way, earning himself the angry cries of locals from behind him. His heart bombarded out of his chest, his energy slowly decreased.

The intern mirrored all of Duncan's manourvers swiftly, also copping an earfull of complaints from disgruntled citizens. Duncan moved so fast he was nothing but a blur as he exited the alley and darted to the right. The intern's chasing took him to another main road at the other end of the alley, and Duncan as no where to be seen. His anger reached it's peak.

* * *

"You can't hide from us forever Duncan!" he screamed out into the road, causing the hundreds of passerby's within hearing distance to stop and stare at the stange man. The intern took out his cell phone and punched in a sequence of numbers before holding it up to his ear. While the phone rang, he took some time to catch his breath from the tiring chase through the crowded city. The other side of the line greeted the intern with a stern "Hello?" The intern smiled.

"Want an exclusive?" the intern could almost hear her eyebrow raise over the phone.

"Depends, is it worth listening to?" the woman's voice was strained, coming out in a dreary monotone.

"Believe me, it's quite juicy, as you would put it." the intern replied, teasing the woman with the air in his voice.

"Alright, out with it. If you called me from overseas it's probably good. Where the hell are you anyway?" she asked, with a hint of curiosity.

"I'm in Dehli. Duncan just ran away. He's gone, AWOL, missing." the intern said proudly. The woman snickered.

"So? Big deal, he's a delinquent what did you expect? Besides, if you look at it from my angle, you just told me that you failed at your job! Have fun shaking a pay check out of Chris now!" she snapped.

"Well, Mildred, if you look at it from _my _angle, I just fed you crucial information that could skyrocket you back to Celebrity Manhunt. I have one word for you: New Segment!" Blainely flinched at the mention of her real name.

"One, that's two words idiot! No wonder you're an intern! Two, it's Blainely! How did you even find out about my real name anyway? And three, I'm listening..." the intern pounced on the incomplete sentence like a cat would a mouse.

"Pitch a new segment tracking Duncan's whereabouts to the Aftermath producers. You can allow the public to contribute too. Then watch the ratings rise; it's a win win situation. The producers see you're doing a good job, and you're back to gossiping about real celebs, and for me, I find Duncan quicker and cash in on a big fat bonus for catching the little fugitive." the intern sounded like he rehearsed his answer in front of the mirror fifty times before actually saying it. Blainely smiled.

"Fugitive... that has a ring to it don't you think? Jackson, you've got a deal." the washed up host quickly hung up after speaking. _Josh, get my chair ready, cause this host is coming home..._

"You're welcome." Jackson said to the phone's dragging tone. He smiled to himself.

* * *

Duncan stood in a small gap between two towering buildings and stared at Jackson through narrowed eyes. After the intern hung up the phone, he dialed three numbers on his phone and held it to his ear once again. Duncan watched him speak, and he could tell that the intern's voice was hushed. After he hung up the intern stood there until two men approached a smiling Jackson. Suddenly realisation hit him like a tonne of bricks.

_Three numbers?_

The intern called the cops! Turns out climbing a pyramid and getting pushed out a plane in one day can have it's toll on the brain. Duncan tried to creep out of the gap quiety, but his green hair drew too much attention to himself and the delinquent was suddenly being chased again, but this time by two intimidating police officers. He had just enough energy to bolt down the road, his mind racing with qualms.

_Why am I running? I'll probably just get caught later and have to go back to that stupid aftermath show and watch Gwen kick my ass-_

Duncan's eyes widened as he contiued to run.

_Gwen_

Images of her pale face appeared in his mind against his will, and Duncan drowned himself in her elegance as he continued to run. The time when they talked by the campfire during the horror movie challenge, when they ditched Heather on the "deserted island", when they danced together at the beach party reward...

_Do it for her._

Duncan's face lit up with a goofy smile as he kept on twisting through the endless roads of Dehli, until his unfamiliarity of the strange city came back to bite him in the bum. A solid brick wall met Duncan at the end of one of many alleys one would find in the city. His heart was on overdrive and the cops approached him with mailcious smiles.

His last thought was Gwen when he closed his eyes and pressed his back against the wall.

* * *

**ooooo****o :)**

**just thought i'd add in the fact that**

**"everytime i ran from the cops, i thought of you" into the story.**

**so... review review review review review review review review reivew- just thought i'd honor trent for good luck :)**

**good bye :)**


	6. Chase

**Hey:)**

**So here's chapter 6**

**I don't really like it, it's just preparing for the next chapter, which i hope will be fantabulous.  
I had a bit of a break from writing fro like a week just to chill, and my brain was kinda fuzzy...  
So apologies.**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

With a deafening clang the bars closed shut, and locked an exhausted Duncan into prison once again. He gripped the steel bars extremely tight, his knuckles bursting underneath his skin. The strong silver hue glistened from the bright lights in the ceiling, and Jackson stood in front of him with a malicious grin.

"Thought you could get away huh? You just made it too easy, hanging around me so much you may as well have walked towards me with open arms. Looks like Blainely won't have to get that new segment up and running after all. What a shame." Duncan's eyes were poisoned with anger and frustration and his face was hardened. Jackson spoke again.

"Well, because of you little attempt to escape, we missed our flight. So you just sit tight, while I book us another one in the morning, and before you know it, you'll be sitting on that uncomfortable purple couch again." he turned to leave, his cell phone already pressed up against his ear.

Duncan threw his hands at the bars in anger with a grunt, the collision sending shockwaves through the cell. He remained standing at the bars, his hands once again gripping them tightly and hung his head with a sigh.

* * *

"Hey buddy, it gets better with time, soon enough we'll be best friends"

Duncan jumped at the voice and turned to see his cellmate who emerged from under his bunk. He was a well-built man, with broad shoulders, and couldn't have exceeded the age of 20. His blonde hair was shaggy and stuck out in all directions, and his olive eyes stared Duncan down with a sceptical glint. Duncan snickered roughly.  
"Well _buddy_, don't bother with the reassuring, my second home is basically behind bars. Oh and I'll take a raincheck on the best friend thing, unfortunately I'm due back on a plane in the morning where my brain will probably implode." He replied casually, leaning up against a bar to face his cellmate.

"Huh. Well this whole buddy business is starting to get on my nerves, so how about we escalate to first name basis? I'm Chase." Chase held out his hand and Duncan gripped it tightly.

"Duncan." Chase shook his hand in response before they let go and stared at each other awkwardly.

Moments of uncomfortable silence followed, with nothing but a clock shifting the sombre atmosphere a prison created. Suddenly Chase's head jolted up quickly, narrowly missing the upper rail of the top bunk. His quick movement startled Duncan and his eyes darted to the blonde once more.

"You're that Duncan aren't you?" Chase said slowly, staring the delinquent down like some superficial critic. Duncan sighed.

"And what Duncan would that be?" he said stiffly. He knew what Chase's answer would be, but just in case he didn't really want to talk about Total Drama right now.

"The Duncan off that reality show. Total something." Chase replied matter-of-factly. Duncan slid down the bar until he firmly sat on the floor.

"Yeah. Total Drama. You watch it?" Duncan crossed his legs on the hard dull floor and stared up at Chase lazily.

"Well, anytime I can. But I did catch the one on yesterday. Nice work, I must say. Tied to two girls that both like you." Duncan's face screwed up at the reminder of Courtney. He could just hear her shrill cry echo in his ears. He suddenly felt a pang in his stomach when he fully processsed Chase had said.

_Two Girls?_

"Wait. Gwen likes me?" Duncan asked incredulously. Chase scoffoed.

"Duh. Did you _see _her in that episode? She's got it bad, man." Chase explained. Duncan could feel a goofy smile tug at the corners of his mouth against his will. Chase continued.

"And it seems like you do too. Judging by that smug smile plastered to your mouth." Duncan could feel his cheeks get hot and his stomch twist. Was it really that obvious?

"Shut up." he shot back as Chase chuckled to himself. He joined Duncan on the floor.

"So you've heard my sotry. What brings you to a prison in Dehli?" Duncan asked casually. Chase sighed.

"The usual. Stealing food, tagging buildings, iw ould've gottne away with it too, if these streets weren;t so crowded. You know when you're trying to escape from shoplifting and you realise that you've accidently-"

"Knocked over the whole shelf?" Duncan interrupted with a grin. Chase smiled back.

"Or if you've just tagged a wall and you forget to-"

"Put the can on the floor and instad take it with you?" Duncan and Chase shared a laugh at their past experiences with the law. Chase continued.

"Well, those were just some everday things. Something to occupy me. But the reason i'm in Dehli is because i was on the run. I'm from Australia. 2 years ago when I was 16 i was working at my dad's milk bar. He left the shop to me everyday after school for a few hours. Don't get me wrong its not like i was a type A, he was just trying to dicipline me cause of my "unsuitable behavior,"" Chase paused to quote his father with his fingers and breathed in before he continued.

"One day a cop rolls in, and say there's this new tax thing that all milk bars had to pay. I told him to ask my dad, but he just laughed. I could tell he was lying. He threatened to shut the milkbar down and say that I did a crap job at running it so I'd go to juvy again. He had me backed up in a corner. So I paid him. 2 and a half grand. The next day he came, with the same stupid grin he had on last time, and asked for more cash. I paid him. Dad was starting to get suspicious of where all the money's going, and thought I was stealing it. i was really angry by then, so by the thrid day when the cop came, I lost it. When i said no, he pushed me down against the counter, but i got him off me. We wresteled for a while, when he suddenly got out his gun. I had quick hands from swiping lots of stuff from stores, so i snatched the gun out of his hand, and pointed it at his head."

Duncan was staring with wide eyes at Chase's story. Chase stared at the ground before continuing again.

"I stood over him. And shot him. Right in the forehead." Duncan's jaw dropped

"When I finally realised what I'd done, I knew the cops would just string toegther a lie, so I ran. I jumped in my car and drove as far as I could. When I ran out of petrol I was in another state. I thought I could start a new life, or something. But when i turned on the TV my face was on every channel. There seemed like no escape. So i jumped on a plane and was on the run between then and when I got caught. I got busted for stealing bread last week. They found my passport and contacted an Ausrtalian prison that will transport me back there to serve my murder sentecne. I'm just waiting for the plane. So that's my story."

Duncan stared at Chase. After this revelation of what he's done, he knew he could trust him. There is a certain chunk of crimminals that are terribly misunderstood, and Chase fit into the chunk perfectly. Just like him.

Duncan smiled at Chase.

"I guess we're both doomed to get transported back to where we were runnning from." he said softly. Chase leaned in slowly.

"Look, I watched your audition tape for that show, and you seem like your quick on your feet." Chase whispered. Duncan nodded slowly and stared at the blonde curiosly.

"Since you're doomed to get back on the airwaves by tomorrow, do you want to escape?" Duncan's insides lit up. He nodded quickly. Almost on que, he actually took the time to realise his eye lids were heavy bags thretening to shut his eyes at any second. But he pushed it to the side. he'd rather be incredibly tired in some abandoned alley than fast asleep on the way back to the aftermath studio.

* * *

By now it was well past 2 am, and Chase and Duncan were sitting opposit eachother, going over their escape plane in hushed whispers.

"Ok so when the guards change at 2:30-"

"I get the bottle of vodka under your bunk and the wet rag from my pocket and-"

"we put the gloves on that are under my pillow"

"Then-"

"the Guards take a good 5 minutes to get here, so while they come-"

"I light the rag in the bottle and you-"

"Throw it right under the smoke detector. Then we wait-"

"For the fire alarm to automatically open all the cells."

"We then put those socks on to cover our face like you did in that episode-"

"And go out of the back door and to our freedom."

Duncan and Chase smiled together. It was 2:29 am.

* * *

**Oh and sorry about spelling errors. Just wanted to get this done quickly cause its been a while. **

**Get ready for the escape :) Aplogies if it soudn kinda weird. Prison escapes isn't really something i think about on a daily basis.**

**Review :):)**


	7. Vodka and Chokers

**Hey There:)  
Here's chapter 7**

* * *

The clock struck 2:30. Show time.

Duncan and Chase peered through the bars cautiously. Their hearts were beating furiously out of their ribcages. The guards looked at each other in realisation, turned off the lights, and walked out of the doors they were guarding. So far so good.

Duncan dashed to Chase's bunk and swept his hand under the rails, reaching for the bottle. Chase buried his hands under his pillow at the same time. Both delinquents worked over the bed anxiously, searching for their corresponding items. The time seemed to flow rapidly, as if it was falling through an hourglass.

Duncan's sweaty fingers finally got a hold of the vodka bottle. His insides jumped. He brought his arm back up to his level and Chase stood opposite him, holding a pair of tattered gloves in his already gloved hands.

"Put these on." Chase said hurriedly. He grabbed the bottle out of Duncan's shaky hands as Duncan rushed to put the gloves on. Each tick of the second hand seemed to echo through Duncan's ears.  
Once his hands were gloved Duncan shoved his right hand into his pocket and clasped his fingers around the wet rag and lighter. He pulled them out violently. By now 2 and a half minutes has passed. Half way there.

Duncan crammed the rag down the neck of the bottle, his fingers slipping at the brim. Chase went to grab the socks as the fire from Duncan's lighter illuminated the dank cell with an orange glow. The lighter met the rag, the flames growing with each second. The heat caused violent beads of sweat to trickle down Duncan's forehead. He looked to Chase. His face was concealed with a sock already and he had three fingers raised in the air.

"Three, two," Chase may have finished that sentence in a short amount of time, but it seemed like a miniature eternity until a firm "one!" burst out of Chase's throat. Duncan's arm flung the bottle out of the cell towards the front door. It flew through the air, almost suspended for a millisecond, before colliding with the ground in a spectacular explosion of heat and bright orange flames.  
Duncan grabbed his sock out of Chase's hands and forced it over his head. He turned it to the side until the eyes holes were in the place it should be, and joined Chase at the bars. They saw the smoke rise up to the ceiling slowly. 3 and a half minutes have passed. The smoke travelled delicately, like it was a choreographed contemporary dance, full of twists and turns. When it finally reach the fire alarm the loud siren pierced Duncan and Chase's ears, as the bars slid open automatically.

The fire was quickly creeping over to the pair, so Duncan and Chase dashed in the opposite direction, the heat tickling the back of the necks. The back door was in sight. The smoke bellowed behind them causing irritated coughs to rise up in their throats. The back door opened with a groan from exhausted hinges, and a cry of joy from Duncan and Chase filled the air of an abandoned alley at the back of a prison.

"We did it!" Duncan exclaimed at he went to high-five Chase. He returned it gratefully. They continued to run around the alleys of Delhi. Gwen's face appeared in Duncan's mind against his will, and he didn't dare push it out. He imagined her smug face when she finds out that he escaped. He just could see it now.

"You escaped from prison with Vodka? Where'd you get that from, a prison movie?"

He could hear the sweet tone of Gwen's voice match her face, his mental image of her causing memories to flood back to him. A smile played at his cracked lips. His legs seemed to increase in speed.  
The pair took many impulsive twists and turns until finally they reached a seemingly empty crack in between two buildings.

Chase sat down, his back up against one wall. Duncan went to mimic his position on the other side. The pair bumped knuckles in the moonlight.

"Well, we escaped." Duncan said lazily; sleep still tempting him as he sat still. Chase chuckled.

"Yeah, but where do we go from here?" Chase asked sceptically, watching Duncan's eyes close slowly.

"I don't know." Duncan answered heavily through shut eyes. His head leaned against the solid wall as he was captured into a deep slumber. Falling out of a plane, getting locked up in jail and then escaping all in a matter of 24 hours can really take it out of a person. Duncan would know.

Chase soon followed Duncan as his eyes closed too, the pair both drifting off into a world far beyond their own.

* * *

As the delinquents slept, the prison they left behind burned down to the ground, with the two new guards pacing angrily, and Jackson cursing at the top of his lungs to anyone who would listen. Police circled the scene with yellow tape, and received information that two teens were being held there before it burned down. One was about 6 foot tall, with dirty blonde hair, and the other had the most recognisable green Mohawk in all of reality TV.

* * *

The sun flowed onto the sleeping pair, as morning fell upon the bustling city. Duncan's eyes cracked open, any attempts of resuming sleep shattered thanks to the bright sunlight. He lifted his head off the wall; his neck ached from being in such an awkward position all night. Chase was still sleeping, his light snoring causing Duncan to chuckle. Too bad this woke him up. Chase shifted slowly, and sat up against the wall wearily. He rubbed his eyes and smiled at Duncan.

"Morning," Duncan grunted at Chase as the blonde cleared his throat, which seemed to have done nothing because when Chase said  
"morning," back, it came out in a rough, gravelly voice one would associate with an elderly man. Duncan laughed. Chase seemed to follow. They laughed for Chase's voice. They laughed for their escape, and Duncan privately laughed for Gwen. He could feel her with him, even though she was trapped on that death trap of a plane. His mind travelled back to Gwen's reaction of his quitting the competition.

* * *

_The cargo hold was dark and filled with boxes. It was the perfect place for two best friends to have a conversation without a pushy girlfriend interrupting._

_Gwen's eyes remained on the ground. Duncan stood opposite her._

_"Gwen." Duncan's utter of her name caused tingles to shoot down Gwen's spine. She immediately pushed those thoughts out of her mind. He has a girlfriend._  
_Gwen continued the silence. She had nothing to say._

_"Gwen." Duncan repeated her name and a new set of shivered tickled Gwen's insides. She lifted her face up and gazed deep into his deep teal eyes._

_"What do you want me to say Duncan?" Gwen said softly. "Go on Duncan, follow your dreams. Go. Leave me here to deal with your control freak of a girlfriend. Cause that's totally fine with me. You're my best friend Duncan. You stood up for me even though I was cheating last season. What will happen when I don't have a leg to stand on this time?" sadness dripped off every word._  
_Duncan gripped her wrists tightly._

_"Gwen. I'll never leave you. You're right. You are my best friend, and as my best friend, I need you to know that my head it's, well, really, stuffy. All of this reality TV and I had a bit of a think between last season and this season and, well, I, I, well I don't know. I'm just not in the right place. I need time to think. Because as you know I'm normally one of the smartest guys around here." Duncan threw that last joke in and Gwen's lips moved into something between a smile and a frown._

_"Smart?" Gwen questioned playfully. Duncan smiled._

_"Yes of course. Street smart! How do you think I manage to dodge all of the authorities?"_

_"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you go on Total Drama instead of Juvy in the first place?" Gwen smiled with success. Duncan sighed._

_"Whatever. Look, I'll come back as soon as I'm back to my old state of mind." Duncan said seriously._

_"Promise?" Gwen asked, she felt really girly at that moment, but since there was no one watching she couldn't care less. Duncan smirked._

_"Promise." He confirmed as he pulled Gwen in for a hug. They remained in that position for a while, until the PA crackled over the plane and Chris's voice broke the two apart ._

_"Could all losers and . Quitty report to the elimination ceremony immediately."_  
_Gwen smiled at Duncan._

_"That's your cue." Duncan sighed heavily, as he started to walk backwards towards his elimination._

_"Bye Gwen." He said as he turned his back and walked out of the cargo hold leaving Gwen alone._

_"Bye Duncan." She said softly to herself. She looked down at her hands that were holding Duncan's choker. Let's just say, when your best friend's a delinquent you tend to learn some of his tactics._

* * *

Duncan smiled at the memory when he realised his choker was gone. He had taught her well. Chase snapped him out of his daydream with a stern look on his face and a newspaper in his hands.  
"Ugh, Duncan. You're going to want to see this." Chase handed Duncan the newspaper slowly. Duncan's eyes widened when he saw the front page. Wow. Good news really does travel fast.

* * *

**:)  
**

**please forgive me if its a bit too mushy, it was late at night and i was going with the moment.**

**review review review review review review review review reivew review (just to honor trent)  
Byeee**


	8. Luke and Stacey

**Hey there:)**

**Chapter 8 is yours to read...**

**enjoy :)**

* * *

**Local Prison Destroyed!**

_**The Delhi Local Holding Centre was burned to the ground just after 2:30 am this morning. Police have investigated and found traces of a bottle at the front door, and drops of vodka on the ground. They suspect it was lighted on purpose. Two teenagers were being held in the premisis before its destruction, both of them due to be transported back to their home countries next week. There was no sign of their bodies in their cell, so police believe they were the ones who burned the prison down in an attempt to escape. The latter have not been sighted since the incident, so it is believed that they are still on the run. Anyone with information on the pair's whereabouts can contract the local police station. More on this issue as it progresses.**_

Duncan read the article in shock. He saw his picture on the page under the writing, his Mohawk standing out. There is no way he couldn't be recognised. Chase's picture was next to his.

"What do we do now?" Duncan asked seriously. Chase sighed.

"We have to go." Chase said sternly. Duncan's gaze darted to Chase.

"Where?"

"Out of the country." Chase stared deep into Duncan's eyes for a while, begging for a response. Duncan thought it over. Out of the country. Too much has happened now, and he can't even walk the street without being recognised. Duncan sighed in defeat.

"Ok. And how do you propose we do that?" Duncan asked.

"I have connections. I know this guy who owns a plane at this local airfield. He can get us anywhere we need to go with no fuss. I saved his brother's life a year ago. He's on the run too. Didn't ask for details or anything, but he offered me a favour whenever I need it." Chase smirked. Duncan beamed.

The idea of flying anywhere with no fuss is just what they needed.

"OK. So where are we going to go? We need somewhere where there isn't much media coverage. Somewhere where we can walk around without getting cuffed. Somewhere like-"

"Italy." Chase interrupted stiffly.

"Why Italy?" Duncan asked as he raised half an eyebrow.

"Like I said, I have connections." Chase didn't elaborate, but Duncan trusted him. The sun became temporarily brighter and pierced Duncan and Chase's eyes. Soon after it disappeared behind the clouds and Duncan spoke again.

"So how do we get to this airfield?" he asked heavily. Chase sighed.

"Well, it's about an hour's drive from here, that's assuming we can even hitch a ride. By foot, it would take much longer, but walking around with that Mohawk of yours is bound to get us locked up in seconds." Chase's words stung Duncan.

"Hey don't trash the hawk." Duncan said cockily. Chase chuckled.

"We could always take the easy way and steal a car." Chase suggested mischievously. Duncan smiled.

"Sounds like fun." Duncan replied with a smirk.

* * *

The pair remained crouched in the same place for hours, trying to find a vehicle that could be easily stolen without getting caught. Soon fate threw them a freebie, as a small truck pulled up right in front of them. The driver got out and proceeded to enter a building. Duncan and Chase stood up.

"Let's go." Chase whispered. They proceeded to sprint towards the vacant truck, but crouching in a small space for a good twelve hours can really have an effect on one's running ability. Duncan and Chase's legs pained immensely from movement. They moved much slower than they intended and Duncan's bright green Mohawk predictably turned a few heads.

"It's him!"  
"The boys who burned down the prison!"  
"They were in the paper this morning!"

Many similar outbursts were shot at the pair and they knew that they have been spotted. Several citizens rushed to grab at the pair as they tried to get into the vehicle before them. The owner of the truck turned to see what all the fuss was about, and ran out onto the pavement while swearing loudly at the two delinquents who just smashed his car window. Glass splattered onto the floor, and Duncan tried his best to shove himself through the now broken window while Chase proceeded to shatter a second one.

The deafening sound of people screaming and police sirens filled the air of New Delhi, and people now resorted to pulling at Duncan and Chase's legs that were now hanging out of the car windows. They used all the strength they could muster to kick the citizen's hands off their ankles, and struggled into the car head first with a thud. Once Duncan was in the driver's seat, people were reaching into the window trying to pry him out. Duncan rammed his foot on the accelerator and the truck sped forwards at an alarming speed, which threw Chase to the other side of the truck with a crunch.

"OW!" he exclaimed as the truck rushed away from the screaming witnesses and furious owner, who was now scolding himself for leaving his keys in the ignition.

The roads were obscured by numerous cars and trailers, which made a quick and easy getaway nothing but a distant fantasy. Duncan threw his hands at the steering wheel and swerved through the many vehicles that were travelling the same way. His palm smashed the horn violently, as the truck twisted and turned through anything that seemed to have stood in its way. Lanes were now a forgotten detail, and Duncan and Chase were travelling about twice the speed zone.

Chase clambered into the front clumsily, the swerving car making his journey even more hazardous.

"Give me the wheel!" Chase shouted over the revving engine, as Duncan flung himself into the back recklessly, and Chase filled the driver's seat. With sweaty hands Chase took hold of the wheel and made an illegal turn.

* * *

The truck travelled through unfamiliar roads for a good hour, with Duncan staring out the window at the seemingly deserted tracks and questioning Chase's sense of direction every few minutes. Soon enough, they approached an open spaced field, with dirt tracks engraved into the ground, and several planes lined up for takeoff. Duncan grinned.

"Here we are. I told you I knew where we were going." Chase stated proudly, as Duncan opened the car door and stretched his legs.

"Yeah, yeah you're great, I'll never doubt you again, you should be a human GPS and all that crap. We've got a plane to catch."Duncan replied lazily, staring at the numerous planes standing majestically in a perfect line.

"So which one's ours?" Duncan asked casually. Chase shook his head.

"None of those ones. Do you really think a guy who flies criminals all around the world with no fuss is just going to be standing in broad daylight?" he asked cockily. Duncan snorted.

"Ok smartass, so where is ours then?" Duncan challenged. Chase grabbed his arm and led him away from the perfectly assembled aircrafts. They passed a large building which Duncan mistook for a barn, and they arrived at a seemingly abandoned shed. Duncan snickered.

"Were you expecting a first class jet?" Chase asked rudely.

"Sorry." Duncan said, defeated. Chase stuck his fingers into his mouth and whistled, the sound piercing any ear it would reach.

"Hey Luke! Get out here!" he bellowed towards the shed, as a middle aged man stepped out of the door cautiously. He was a short man, wearing nothing but a grimy T-shirt and ragged jeans and a pair of faded ebony boots. His jet black hair was knotted, and one of his calloused hands grabbed one of Chase's heartedly.

"Chase! Good to see you!" He pulled Chase into a hug, which left Duncan standing awkwardly. They pulled apart and smiled at each other.

"How've you been? Haven't seen you since you saved little Mike's life! How's he doing? You guys in touch? Hey have you gotten locked up yet? Tell me all about it in-"

"Luke, we," Chase interrupted, pointing to Duncan, "need a ride." Luke's dark eyes fell on Duncan, and once again, his Mohawk didn't fail to trigger Luke's memory.

"Well what do you know? You're that delinquent on the telly! Duncan isn't it? Always been a fan of yours! But that Courtney girl, gee whiz is she annoying, don't know why you ever looked at her twice. Oh but that Goth girl, Glenda isn't it?"

"Gwen," Duncan corrected, memories one again flashing into his mind.

"Yeah, Gwen, that's it, now she's a looker. You'd be perfect for each other. What with all your shared interests and all that." Duncan smiled at Luke's evaluations of his love life. Chase coughed loudly.

"Ugh yeah, Luke, we need a ride?" he reminded, obviously well affiliated with Luke's usual conversation habits.

"Oh right, right. Where to?" Luke asked, a grin creeping onto his face.

"Italy." Chase said in a very business like matter.

"Ah, Italy; nice country that is. Alright. I'll go get Stacy and you'll be in the air in a jiffy." Luke turned his back to the pair and started to walk back to the shed.

"Stacey! We've got ourselves a flight!" Luke called as he disappeared into the silver building once more.

"Stacey?" Duncan asked under his breath.

"Luke's daughter. The pilot. Don't worry; she's got tonnes of experience. She knows what she's doing." Duncan nodded slowly at Chase's explanation of Stacey. If she's anything like Luke, he could only imagine how many conversations they would get through before they touch ground.

Duncan and Chase remained standing outside for a few minutes, before a girl emerged from the shed. She looked extremely young, no older than Duncan, and she sported the same black hair as her father, although hers was waist length and tied up in a messy pony tail. She wore a white singlet and faded jeans, with nothing but old ballet flats covering her feet. She smiled at Chase and extended a hand out to Duncan.

"Stacey." She said sweetly. Duncan took her hand.

"Hi, I'm-"

"Oh I know who you are." Stacey interrupted in awe. "And don't worry, I won't go on about it either. Not really one to talk. Guess Daddy takes care of that for me anyways." Stacey grinned at Duncan, who was now relieved that her social skills weren't as nearly as enthusiastic as her fathers.

"So, shall we get going before dark?" Chase asked cockily. Stacey snickered.

"Alright, alright, no need to get all wound up. I'll get you in the air." Stacey said calmly as she walked back to the shed, and with a grunt, she heaved the door open. Behind it stood a rustic airplane, which was quite small, and looked a lot like a miniature version of the Total Drama Jet. Duncan sighed.

"Hey Daddy! Get out here and help me drag the plane out! You too Chase and Duncan! Don't just stand there!" Duncan and Chase ran towards the plane and used all their strength to push it out of its shelter. For a small plane it was incredibly heavy. Luke clambered outside and assisted them, and they soon made it out in a matter of minutes, Duncan's muscles were now throbbing.

"Duncan, get in, Chase, get her stared." Duncan did as he was told and climbed into the plane. He seated himself in the back, and Stacey entered in the other side, taking her place at the pilot's seat. He watched her strap herself in and turn on all the numerous switches. Chase stood outside, his hands clasped around the lowest blade. Stacey turned her gaze to Chase.

"Ok, in three, two," Stacey paused, "One!" As soon as Stacey finished counting down, Chase flung the blade around once before rushing into the plane. He sat down next to Duncan, and by the time he had strapped himself into his seat the plane's propellers were spinning so fast it was nothing but a blur.

Stacey grabbed hold of the controls and sent them off against the rough track, the speed increasing with each second. The sound echoed in Duncan's ears, and after a few more seconds of speeding up, the plane finally left the ground and became airborne.

It took a while for the plane to become stable, the uneasiness of the plane causing Duncan's stomach to back flip a hundred times over, but when the aircraft achieved a steady position, Duncan looked back and saw Luke standing alone in the field waving, which looked more like an oversized bird flapping his wings that a gesture of farewell.

Duncan stared at the land, as they drifted farther away from India, and he only turned his head forwards when Luke was nothing but a single speck in endless plains of earth.

* * *

Night has fallen over New Dehli. A disgruntled Jackson sat at his motel table, this morning's newspaper schrunched in his fist, and an expressionless news reporter regurgitating every word into the television world. Suddenly his cell phone rang, which he answered with a grunt.

"Hello?" his voice was hoarse and rough.

"What is this I'm hearing about Duncan escaping from prison? And he's on the run! I can't have my conestants on the run! Do you realise how bad that makes my show look like?" Jackson's face twisted at the sound of his boss's voice. He tried his best to compose himself.

"Look Chris, I'll find him. Just give me time."

"Time? I give you the simple task of taking that delinquent back to the aftermath studios and you somehow lose him! How can you expect me to give you time? Time is money you know!" Chris yelled at Jackson through the phone, and his responses came through gritted teeth.

"Look, frankly I couldn't care less about your stupid show, but I can guarrantee I will find him. Just you wait." Jackson said vaguely.

"Don't dissapoint me Jerry! Do you know how lucky you are that you don't have to test out the challenges?"

"It's Jackson, and-"

"I don't care! You interns are all the same to me. Just get Duncan back to where his contract states he should be as soon as possible!"

Chris hung up abruptly and Jackson as he banged his head on the table repeatedly.

* * *

**Done and Done:)**

**Review...**


	9. The Crim Club

**Hello everyone **

**Just to clarify, I have not fallen off the edge of the horizon because I sailed too far. My internet was simply down, rendering my access to the world dramatically limited. But never fear! My connection is up and running now. During my weeks of possessing a useless laptop, I wrote, and a whole lot I wrote, might I add. I've written 2 chapters of this story, and I think I've written about 5 one shots.**

**I have a poll on my profile regarding which one shot will be published now, as I want to maybe spread the publishing of these spare stories... **

**Anyways, with my technology now fully functioning, I present you with yet another update **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Hours have passed since the plane left the ground, and there has barely been any conversation between the three occupants aside from questions about which time zone they were in, or how much longer until they arrived. The sky was thick ebony speckled with luminous stars. Stacey sat straight at the pilot's seat, steering carefully and fighting fatigue. Chase lied down on his seat, in a very awkward position which Duncan cringed at whenever he laid his eyes on it. Duncan was slumped in his chair, staring out the window at nothing at all. It was a very long flight.

"So... who's up for a game?" Duncan asked casually, who longed to break the silence for hours. Chase sat up and nodded, and Stacey muttered an "Ok" groggily from the pilot's seat.

"Truth or dare?" Duncan suggested.

Stacey and Chase murmured in agreement, and Stacey piped up from behind the wheel eagerly.

"Duncan, truth or dare?" she asked the weariness from before forgotten.

"Truth," Duncan chose, purely because he couldn't be bothered moving from his chair should be pick dare.

"Why did you leave the show? And don't say because you didn't want to sing cause there's no way a little singing would send you over the edge." Stacey asked, with an air of authority lingering in her voice. Duncan snickered at her comment.

"What are you, Sierra? How do you know what would send me "over the edge"?" Duncan replied cockily, quoting Stacey with his fingers.

"Are you seriously saying that you gave up on the chance of _another _million dollars because you didn't want to sing? You have faced way worse!" she remarked, teasing Duncan for the truth. He sighed in defeat. He wasn't exactly in the mood to argue with a pilot who had their lives in her hands.

"Ok. You win. I wanted to get away from Courtney. She was so controlling. Did you see her in that Egypt challenge? "Come on Duncan, let's belay. Don't worry about your opinion just tie yourself to me and strap yourself in for 3 hours of my constant nagging and bickering with Gwen-"" Duncan stopped dead when he realised he had said Gwen's name. Nervousness started to crawl through him like a parasite. He quickly recomposed himself and continued his sentence.

"So yeah, Courtney was getting on my nerves." He attempted a grin, but judging by the unconvinced look on Stacey and Chase's faces he had clearly failed.

"Hmmm... we're getting there." Stacey replied mysteriously. She opened her mouth again, desperate to pry the truth from Duncan by any means necessary.

"I don't think a pushy girlfriend is enough... there's another reason... come on Duncan..." she said airily. Duncan's eyes widened at Stacey's ability to read between the lines, and see the unspoken truth behind his lips.

"You're confused... about something..." Stacey continued to draw on, pushing Duncan further and further into a corner. Soon enough when Duncan was seemingly trapped, he gave in.

"Fine... I'm confused because, ever since this series, I, I don't know, Courtney isn't the same girl when we were on the island. Our... thing... it's more like a summer fling. And when I saw Gwen on Celebrity Manhunt... I don't know I'm just really all over the place. I quit because it was hard to come to a conclusion when both the girls I'm getting confused over are tearing each other's heads off every two seconds..." Duncan sighed, frankly surprised that he had opened himself up to such a degree to a girl he had just met. Stacey nodded in understanding, and just when Duncan thought the interrogation was over, she struck again.

"Ok. That was a bit more believable. But I sense you have missed something out. You're upset about something too..." Stacey trailed off, prompting Duncan to finish her sentence with the answer she had made in her head. Duncan decided to play it stupid until she guesses correctly.

"And just what am I upset about?" he asked. Stacey giggled.

"You're upset about leaving Gwen aren't you?" she said accusingly. Duncan's eyes widened and Chase sat up quickly.

"Damn it, why are you so good at guessing these things?" Duncan whined irritably. Stacey shrugged her shoulders.

"What can I say? I can read people easily. Now stop changing the subject. You are upset about leaving Gwen alone on the plane, because you're in love!" Stacey dragged on "Love" like an excited schoolgirl. Chase grunted in amusement, and Duncan once again had nowhere to turn.

"Well...I may be a little... so what? - I mean... she's my friend and-"Duncan's fragmented explanation was interrupted by a whole hearted laugh from Chase.

"Really? Friend? Please, you have already basically admitted you're into her while we were in Delhi. So why are you denying it now? Look. I know, Stacey knows, the whole viewing world knows, even Heather knows. In fact, the only people who don't know are Courtney and Gwen. (Duncan's stomach jolted at Gwen's name) So why don't you just save us from our misery, and answer your truth question completely." Chase ended his rant with a satisfied smirk. Duncan wiped his face with his palms and exhaled.

"Ok. Fine. I like Gwen. Happy? I've liked her since she called me hot on Celebrity Manhunt, and I have wanted to break up with Courtney since about an hour after I made out with her on DJ's bus. There." Duncan slumped back in his chair and Chase and Stacey exchanged ecstatic glances.

"Ok. Chase your turn." Stacey proclaimed as Duncan stared out the window absentmindedly.

* * *

After a few more hours in the air and about twenty rounds of truth or dare (in which Chase admitted to having feelings for Stacey when he first met her, and Stacey made the plane back flip), the plane touched down on a grassy cliff. It was still night time, or at least early morning because of time zones, and Duncan leaped out of the plane and stretched his legs as if he had never walked before.

Chase and Stacey exited the plane soon after, both used to the prospect of flying and cramping in the same place for long periods of time.

Stacey came up to Duncan and Chase, who were peering over the cliff to the view below.

"Well boys, I guess this is where we part. Don't get into too much trouble. Just get down the cliff face and you should find your way easily." Chase nodded at Stacey's message, but Duncan stood there bamboozled and wondered if he had missed anything.

"Thanks Stace." Chase embraced Stacey and Duncan did the same. Before long the rustic plane was up in the air again, and Duncan and Chase were waving after it in the Italian moonlight.

"Ok. We have to get down the cliff so-"Chase started, but before he could finish his sentence, Duncan leaned a bit too far over the cliff's edge, and gravity took hold of the delinquent with no mercy.

"Duncan!" Chase yelped. But it was too late. Within once second Duncan was sent hurtling down the cliff face in the most painful way possible. With each collision Duncan swore at the top of his lungs, no doubt waking a few locals. Eventually after 3 collisions worth of profanity and 100 metres of falling, Duncan smashed into the ground in a messy pile.

Chase scrambled to the side of the cliff, and grabbed a rope that was before concealed by murky grass. He abseiled down the cliff face with great speed, and agility, and landed right next to Duncan. He was sprawled against the floor, unable to move. Duncan was close to losing consciousness, and Chase was panicking.

"Come on Duncan, don't make me carry you!" Chase yelled into his ear. Duncan slowly turned his head towards him, blood pouring from his lips.

"Chase." He breathed with difficulty.

"Yeah? Come on Duncan!" Chase urged frantically. Duncan closed his eyes and smiled through the pain.

"Good luck carrying me," he said softly, as he fell out of consciousness and Chase scowled.

Chase started to lift Duncan over his shoulders, careful not to move anything too much. With all of Duncan's weight crushing his shoulders and sleep threatening to engulf him at any moment, Chase started to stumble forwards.

* * *

Duncan saw nothing but black for a good thirty seconds. Everything seemed fractured, and the voices in the room seemed to sound as though they were played through a bad quality radio.

"Hey he's waking up!"

"So is it really Duncan?"

"That's what Chase said."

"Of course it's him! Who else has a green Mohawk?"

Duncan saw through small slits, as his eyes started to open and he took in his surroundings. Duncan was lying in a comfortable hammock, bandages were wrapped around areas that were searing with pain. He was in a small room, with 2 maroon couches pressed up against the murky yellowing walls and a coffee table standing in the middle. 5 people who he had never seen before in his life were crowded around him, staring at him as though he was an alien.

"Chase?" Duncan asked. His voice was rough and gravelly. The person Duncan called for came through the door as if on cue, and sat at Duncan's side.

"You're lucky you're not _too_ heavy. And notice how I put an emphasis on "too?" If you weighed any more than you actually do, I would've broken my back." Chase said casually, as if he was talking about the weather. Duncan laughed and it came out in a sort of hoarse cough.

"What happened?" he asked, trying to avoid the people who were staring at him. He could feel their eyes on him as Chase continued.

"Well, you fell off the cliff because you leaned out too much, and you kinda lost consciousness by the time I reached you." Chase said calmly. Duncan smiled.

"Hey I was taking in the view!" he proclaimed, easily picking up the mild annoyance in Chase's voice. The pair shared a laugh and the 5 other people stood there awkwardly.

"Anyway, I carried you a bit and then we got here those guys," Chase gestured towards the people who were drilling their eyes into Duncan, "helped me the rest of the way." Duncan's mind was now racing an image of 6 people; including 5 whom he's never met carrying his slumped body into... wait a minute-

"Where am I?" Duncan asked, realising that he had no idea of his whereabouts.

"Oh yeah," Chase said, as if he forgot something. He stood up and joined the 5 strangers.

"Welcome to the Crim Club. Yeah, pretty crummy name, but whatever." Chase proclaimed as the first girl to his right opened her mouth.

"I'm Maria." She said sweetly. She didn't seem like the criminal type. She was Italian and had shining brown hair which travelled down to her waist in elegant locks. Her eyes were charcoal, and she sported a large scar on her right arm. She was dressed in a chequered shirt and denim jeans. Her feet were fitted with stylish sneakers.

The boy next to her spoke next.

"I'm Jason." Jason stood casually, his bright red hair hanging just under his ears. He wore a white T-shirt and torn jeans. His eyes were piercing green, and Duncan was reminded of a certain musician.

Next the boy to Jason's left spoke.

"Hamish." He said monotonously. His blue eyes were staring unfocused at Duncan, as though he was bored. He had jet black hair which was so long it was pulled into a messy bun. He wore a grey singlet with blue skinny jeans, which was fading from overuse.

A girl next to him stepped forwards and smiled.

"I'm Jade." Jade seemed very energetic, her face was alight with enthusiasm. Her blond hair was plaited messily, and her chocolate eyes glistened happily. She was dressed in a red jacket and leggings. She shifted from one foot to another, as if staying in the same spot is torture.

Finally the girl to Duncan's left introduced herself.

"Cara." She said softly. She was a short girl, with her purple streaked hair tied into small pigtails, and her arms were weighed down by countless bracelets. She wore a long sleeved black top, a denim skirt and ebony stockings. She smiled; although she looked as though she thought if she showed too many teeth she would be punished.

Once Duncan took in everyone's names, and the fact that he was now in the "Crim Club" Chase went to sit back next to him, and everyone else took seats around the room.

"The Crim Club is a place where criminals can hang while they're on the run. Kinda like a pit stop. We're all welcome. Maria is the... founder if you like. She started it up a few years ago. What did I say? Have I got connections or what?" Chase awaited Duncan's praise, smiling broadly into his face.

Duncan lifted himself up into a sitting position and absorbed everything, turned to Chase and grinned.

"Oh yeah," Duncan replied enthusiastically.

Duncan rested his head back onto the hammock, and soon sleep enveloped him again. He dreamed of Gwen, and what her reaction would be when he tells her he was part of the Crim Club. With her laughter ringing in his ears he greeted slumber like a good friend.

* * *

**And so we say hello to the crim club.**

**Ok, to any DxC supporters that may want my head on a plate now, this story is GxD, and in it, Duncan starts to lose his passion he once had for Courtney. That's just the way it goes, and what would be expected from the summary. I am actually starting to ship both couples, although DxG a smidge more. They're just really writable and sweet when they'd fight then make out – ok I'm gonna stop my DxC rant now.**

**Please review, and keep an eye out for the next chapter, as one unanswered question is answered!  
Ta-Ta!**


	10. Broken

**Hey there!**

**Here is Chapter 10!**

**Enjoy, you're brain is bound to click once again...**

* * *

The Aftermath Show was buzzing in the background of a shabby hotel room in Canada. Papers were spread out everywhere, almost burying the man who was slumped in a small wooden chair. Weeks have passed since Duncan's disappearance, and Jackson was being tortured by his boss for letting him slip away ("Get that delinquent back by any means necessary or the lawsuit's coming out of your pay check!"). Ever since he had been searching for said delinquent with no such luck, until the TV blared in his ears with the words "Total Drama Fugitives."

Jackson bolted up from his chair, his full attention now on the television. He smiled as he saw Blaineley taking on his advice, knowing full well he wouldn't get credit. It seemed that Ezekiel has also gone AWOL, but he knew he hung onto the plane when he was thrown out; he saw him as he jumped out after Duncan.

Duncan's part of the segment came on, and Jackson watched it intently. He had had no luck in finding him for weeks, so he would listen to anything that was remotely related to the matter. He just hoped that the public weren't as terrible at delinquent spotting as he was. The first sighting was a Mohawk in a lake in England. Jackson disregarded this, as there wouldn't be much to work with should he peruse it.

The second sighting however, sparked Jackson's interest instantly. It was from Rome, Italy. A silhouette, which greatly resembled Duncan, was seen falling down a cliff, swearing with each collision. Geoff and Blaineley commented on this footage, Blaineley claiming that no one could fake "that level of profanity", and Jackson seemed to agree.

Since Duncan fell down a cliff, he would obviously need time to recover before he could travel again. That gave the intern valuable time to track him down.

With a glimmering speck of hope alight once more, Jackson grabbed his phone to book a flight to Rome. He imagined Chris' reaction when he would bring the delinquent back to the show by the choker, and he smiled when he visualised the pay rise he was bound to receive.

* * *

A few weeks have passed since Duncan had joined the Crim Club. He has been healing slowly, with numerous bruises and cuts to a large majority of his body. Maria claimed that he was lucky not to break any bones; Duncan called it a miracle.

Today, he was sitting on the couch with Cara and Hamish on opposite sides of him, sharing stories about how they came to the Crim Club.

"I robbed a bank with my brothers," started Hamish in his usual monotone," but it was for an operation for my dad's heart transplant. We almost got the cash too, but the youngest of us, James, he slipped and set off the alarm. Steve, my older brother, told me to run, so I did. I left everything behind. Got a plane out of England, and eventually found myself here. That was 3 years ago. I haven't heard from any of them since."

Chase and Jade were having an animated conversation in the opposite corner; Jade was jumping uncontrollably on the spot as her mouth moved with great speed.

"On my opinion, Margareta is the king of all pizza flavours! Wouldn't you agree?"

Chase was actually not contributing to the topic. He simply nodded and added an occasional "yeah," or "mmm" each time she paused. However he still looked extremely interested in what she was saying.

* * *

Jason and Maria were in the kitchen preparing their next meal (microwave pasta and cans of soft drink), while having an in depth conversation about their most recent green haired guest.

"Come on, Maria, you can't honestly think him and Courtney still have a chance!" Jason said while sticking 3 trays of pasta in the microwave at the same time.

"Of course they do!" she wailed passionately, flinching as she touched a hot pasta tray, "they are the cutest couple ever!" Maria finished, daring Jason to rebut her argument.

"Yeah, that was before she became and psycho raging control-aholic!" Jason replied firmly, stuffing 2 more pasta trays into the microwave, "Duncan's clearly moved on. Now he's into Gwen."

Maria was taken aback; in fact she looked slightly offended by this new piece of information. She pressed a hand to her heart and opened her mouth in shock. She looked quite melodramatic.

"Gwen is purely a friend, nothing more!" she said shrilly, slamming her fist into the kitchen for an extra effect.

"Well, why don't we ask the real deal? Hey Duncan! Get in here!" Jason poked his head out of the kitchen and yelled loudly.

Duncan turned his head from his conversation with Cara, who was discussing her drug addiction and recovery. Both Hamish and Cara stood with him, and walked towards the kitchen. Even Jade stopped pacing on the spot and followed everyone else, with Chase hot on her heels.

Jason stood with his hand on his hips, grinning greedily at Duncan.

"Ok. So Maria here," he said, gesturing towards Maria with an exaggerated bow, "is under the impression that you and Courtney will patch things up, (Duncan snorted, much to Maria's shock) and live happily ever after with lots of delinquent –lawyer babies." Duncan's uni brow curved in confusion. Everyone was hanging onto Duncan's words.

"Wow, Maria. Really?" Duncan said, not trying to hide how ridiculous he thought she was being. "Courtney is driving me crazy," Maria's face lit up "and not in that romantic way she did last season," Duncan added quickly. Maria slumped.

"Jason's right. I like Gwen now." Duncan said, as Jason grinned into Maria's face, gloating without any words. Cara lowered her gaze to her feet, her lips pursing. Maria sighed in defeat. Everyone was so focused on Duncan, that no one saw Maria slip a 20 dollar note firmly into Jason's hand.

"Ok. Fine, you win. So what do you like about Gwen?" she asked, as if she hadn't been a strong believer in his relationship with a CIT just moments ago. Duncan sighed dreamily.

"We've got so much in common, and she's just like me. And if there's one thing I love, it's me. We can talk for hours on end without getting bored, and have you seen her taste in movies? I would be glad to let her buy me a new movie collection. Oh and- hey is that a Gibson Les Paul Guitar?" Duncan suddenly took a spontaneous turn in his conversation, when a guitar standing behind the couch caught his eye.

"Yeah. It's mine," said Cara, walking over to it and pick it up. "Are you into guitars?" she asked, screwing up her face as if trying to remember when Duncan had ever mentioning playing the guitar.

Duncan chuckled. He walked over and sat next to Cara, who now cradled her guitar comfortably in her lap.

"No. As if I have the time. It's just, Gwen's brother has one." By now the whole group had migrated towards the living room. Hamish, Jade and Maria sat next to each other on the coffee table, and Chase and Jason stood at either sides of the couch. Jade raised an eyebrow sceptically at Duncan's comment.

"She told me last season." He added at Jade's confusion. Duncan redirected his eyes to Cara, who was now strumming a melody softly. Her fingers moved so fluently as though it was a second nature. He stared at Cara in admiration. Cara grinned, the slightest tinge of crimson rising to her cheeks.

* * *

"You know, I can play the drums. We've been thinking of starting a band." Hamish said at Duncan's awe. Duncan looked up and smiled.

"Yeah, you should! You sound awesome." Duncan encouraged. Jason chuckled, and Jade shifted in her seat. He felt they were hiding something from him.

"What?" he said, feeling increasingly paranoid at their strange behaviour: Cara's grin just started growing, Maria was smiling as well. Hamish had drumsticks in his hands, tapping the table absentmindedly. Jade continued to move in her spot, and Jason looked like he had seen something slightly amusing.

"We need a vocalist." Hamish said finally, and Duncan fell into confusion. What did that have to do with him?

"And?" Duncan asked, his brows furrowing.

Hamish grinned and raised his eyebrows. Duncan's eyes widened in realisation; was he implying:

"Me? Vocalist?" Duncan sputtered, now questioning Hamish's sanity.

"Yeah. We saw you on Total Drama. That one note you sang, actually sounded decent." Jason grunted in amusement. Duncan just sat still, flabbergasted.

"Well, of course we need to hear more of your voice, you know to determine your range and stuff but-"

"In your dreams. I don't sing." Duncan shot back, trying every reserve of negotiation he had in him to wriggle himself out.

"Come on, Duncan." Cara said, her voice sounding unusually loud and demanding. She was still strumming her guitar lightly, and she begged not only with her words, but with her eyes.

"Just one song," Hamish bargained, "all we ask is for you to sing one whole song. If you are absolutely terrible, we will never speak of it again. If not, can you reconsider?" Duncan screwed up his face. One song. That's not too much. He also had the strangest feeling that if he refused, this wouldn't be the last of it either.

Duncan sighed in defeat, lowering his gaze to the floor.

"Fine." He said through gritted teeth. Everyone grinned satisfactorily, "only one song, that's it." Duncan added, as if he was negotiating an extremely important contract.

"No more," Hamish confirmed "If you're bad," he added under his breath. Hamish straightened himself up and Cara leant over her guitar.

"Ok. Do you know I'm Broken?" Cara asked, the quiet timbre of her voice now returning.

"By Seether?" Duncan replied. Cara nodded.

"And that chick from Evanescence," Hamish added, which earned him a furtive look from Cara.

"Her name is Amy Lee" She said irritably, Duncan had a feeling this was a regular argument.

"Yeah I know it." Duncan said, "So I'm gonna sing that?"

"Uh huh." Hamish said, grinning. "Ready when you are, Cara" He added. Cara smiled.

"What right now?" Duncan asked, alarmed. Cara ignored his protests and lowered her gaze to her guitar. Duncan sighed.

Cara held her guitar closely, and started strumming the intro. Duncan took a deep breath. He could feel everyone's eyes drilling into him. He was actually going to _sing. _Cara nodded towards Duncan and he opened his mouth unsurely.

"**I wanted you to know  
I love the way you laugh"**

Duncan was surprised by how well he was going. His lips moved with the music, and judging by the overjoyed looks of everyone around him, he was pretty good. He smiled, and realised the lyrics reminded him of Gwen.

"**I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away"**

He remembered the look upon Gwen's face when they met in the cargo hold. _"What do you want me to say, Duncan?"_

"**I keep your photograph  
And I know it serves me well  
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain."**

Cara opened her mouth, and joined in with Duncan for the chorus. The voice that came out was breathtaking.

"**Cause I'm broken  
When I'm lonesome  
****And I don't feel right**  
**When you're gone away"**

Duncan was awestruck by Cara, and was now enthusiastic when his solo came. Hamish was now drumming the table with great speed, and was grinning at the calibre of Duncan's voice.

"**You've gone away  
You don't feel me here anymore"**

Duncan assumed that Cara was singing Amy Lee's part, so he watched her sing the second verse. Once again, she sounded amazing.

"**The worst is over now  
And we can breathe again  
I wanna hold you high and you steal my pain away  
There's so much left to learn  
and no one left to fight  
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain"**

Duncan listened to Cara's singing, throwing harmonies when he deemed necessary. He had never realised just how much he enjoyed singing.

They both chimed in together for the second chorus.

"**Cause I'm broken  
When I'm open  
and I don't feel like I am strong enough  
Cause I'm broken  
when I'm lonesome  
and I don't feel right when you're gone away"**

Duncan enjoyed every second, and he was amazed at how accurate this music has expressed what he felt inside. The song came to a close with a final guitar solo from Cara.

Duncan was grinning ear to ear, Cara was smiling the largest he had seen her do so. Everyone erupted into applause, and satisfaction swelled inside Duncan that he was afraid he would explode.

Hamish placed a hand on his shoulder and grinned.

"Welcome aboard."

* * *

His hand was trembling from nerves as he stood in the alley. People bustled around him, completely ignoring him and getting on with their hectic days. The cloth was soft on his calloused hands, and the chloroform sunk through, giving it a cool soothing feel across his palm.

With his weapon ready and a street full of targets, his eyes locked onto his victim and stepped into the sun, poised to strike.

* * *

**Hmmm... I wonder... wait no I don't wonder cause I know what happens! It's you that should be doing the wondering... hopefully.**

**And now we know where Der Schnitzel Kickers was born. I made Duncan the vocalist because he hasn't said anything about playing an instrument, and it would take much more than I actually have to make him learn to play one.**

**I also didn't break any of his bones for the same reason...**

**Ok, I don't own Seether, I'm Broken or Evanescence.**

**It was actually fate that got that song in here.**

**I was having a little dilemma as to which song to do, and at that exact time, I'm Broken came up and I was like "Oh My Gosh! It fits!" yeah it's on old song, but I love it :)**

**Review and keep an eye for the next chapter... in which the plot will thicken... hopefully.**


	11. Skye

**Hey all.**

**Did i take a while? sorry**

**Here's chapter 11! **

**Read, review, and enjoy**

* * *

Since Duncan joined Cara and Hamish's band, they have spent almost all their time practising. It really depended on Cara's mood. Some days she would practically skip over to her guitar and demand a practise, which Duncan and Hamish would fulfil happily. Other days however, Cara would spend sitting on the couch staring at her lap.

On the days that Cara was elated, she, Duncan and Hamish would practise for at least 2 hours; they had about 15 songs in their repertoire now.

Everyone would normally crowd around them or be their audience, and their applause would always multiply with every performance. Duncan savoured every clap, and felt that music and his band was the only thing that prevented him from tearing his Mohawk off in a fit of rage. Being trapped in the same house can really take it out on one's sanity.

* * *

Today, with practice over, Maria was examining Duncan's bandaged portion of his body in his room. Duncan's room was like everyone else's: same murky yellowing walls as the main area, and a single bed with worn sheets.

With the cuts to his right arm, left hand, right hamstring and his upper back looked at and re bandaged, and many of his bruises almost faded, Maria started to work on his left ankle.

Duncan was lying on his bed with Maria unwrapping the bandage around his ankle with care (Maria had first aid training). Duncan winced as she held his injured ankle in her soft hands. There was a deep cut right above his left foot. Her brown hair spilled onto Duncan's bed gracefully and the dimming light bulb afforded the room with a warm glow.

Maria was staring deep at Duncan's cut, and he lied down awkwardly. He decided to take advantage of this silence by asking her the question he was sure everyone else knew the answer to.

"So, why did you found this place?" he asked slowly, he bit his lip, hoping he hadn't crossed any boundaries. Maria sighed and let his ankle down gently.

"I was wondering when you would ask," she said softly, tracing the outline of the scar on her arm absentmindedly. Duncan pushed himself into a sitting position and Maria took a deep breath.

"My father is the Chief of Police of Rome, my hometown. I was his prized possession. His perfect daughter," she paused, staring deep into the yellow walls. She stood up to get some bandages before she continued.

"He expected me to be a police officer, like himself. I got all the training necessary from him by the time I was 18." Duncan nodded. Even though he hasn't heard the whole story yet, sympathy already lingered in his stomach. He knew all too well how the pressure of having a police officer in the family can weigh someone down. She was now re wrapping his ankle as she spoke.

"My father is also power hungry. He was appointed chief and he abused his power. He believes in a harsh approach. He would beat the prisoners on patrols. He says that the prisoners deserve this, and they brought it on themselves," a stray tear cascaded down her cheek and Duncan grasped her hand for comfort. She wiped her face and spoke again.

"Of course, such methods are illegal, but he was the law. No one below him had any knowledge of his ways, and anyone who did, well..." Maria trailed off, "they knew better not to tell..."Duncan nodded, unearthing the meaning of her words in his mind.

"He of course, told me when I joined the force. I was horrified. I wanted to tell the authorities, but he threatened to put me in jail." Duncan gaped at her.

"He would throw his own daughter in the slammer for no reason?" he asked, astounded. Maria nodded slowly before sniffing.

"He began suspecting me. He would never take his eyes off me. We would always go on patrol together, and he no longer permitted me to go out of the house unsupervised. So I decided to escape." Maria once again stroked her scar as she tied up Duncan's ankle.

"I planned it for weeks, making sure I wouldn't get caught. But of course, he always thought I would rebel against him. I had one of my friends wait with his car at the back of my house while I escaped. I made it out, but he saw me run across the yard. Being an officer made him very agile, so he sprinted after me." She paused again to wipe tears from her cheeks.

"I made it to the gate, but my father reached me there. He grabbed the back of my shirt violently, and I was pulled back. There was a loose nail on the plank of wood nearest my arm, and..." her eyes fell to her scar once again, and Duncan winced in realisation. He rubbed his own arm absentmindedly.

"I screamed at the pain. I kicked my father away from me and got into the car. My friend drove. I didn't bother attending to my cut. I just placed a cloth over it. I went here. My Auntie owned this house when I came. I told her everything and she let me stay. She protected me from the police... for a while. But she was old." Maria put the bandages away. Duncan grabbed his newly bandaged ankle and stroked the fabric.

"After a few months, the police found us. She told me to run, but of course I didn't. She said she would hold them off, and she did. She gave her life trying. My father killed her." Maria's face was drenched in tears, and although he would never admit it, Duncan's eyes were starting to water as well.

"They searched the house, looking for me. I hid myself in the attic and concealed the entrance. They assumed I was dead. So I had the house to myself. I went into hiding. I planted numerous bushes and trees to hide the house, and I barely left it." She looked out the window, and blocking the view was a large bundle of leaves and branches.

"About a year after that, I decided I had to protect people from my father. So I began the Crim Club." Maria sighed heavily.

"So did you tell?" Duncan asked loudly, still clutching his ankle. Maria's eyes swirled in confusion.

"Tell what?" she asked softly, stroking her scar.

"Tell the authorities about your dad." Duncan replied. Maria lowered her eyes and laughed softly.

"No." She replied quietly. She stood from Duncan's bed and smoothed out her clothes.

"You're going to have to keep your ankle bandaged for a few more weeks." Maria commented, in almost a whisper. Duncan nodded as she left the room.

Duncan rested his eyes on the mustard walls as he held his injured ankle. He could hear the muffled laughter of everyone else in the living room. It never actually occurred to Duncan until now that all of these people have experienced hardship and manoeuvres with the law. And he was amazed that now they can now unite together, miles from their homes, and laugh as one.

* * *

A few days later everyone was enjoying a wonderful micro waved meal in the kitchen. Chase sat at the bench, and Jade sat on top of it, being the enthusiastic girl that she is. Duncan couldn't help but notice his hand was resting on her left thigh. Maria leaned opposite the pair, staring absentmindedly into the walls again. Jason sat on the bench as well, his back against Jade's. Duncan was leaning against the pantry door, with Cara and Hamish at his sides discussing songs.

Suddenly a rustle was heard from outside. Everyone's heads darted to the front door, and Maria put down her tray and sprinted towards it. There were several sounds of plants being shifted, fabric tearing, and a girl wincing in pain. Everyone tiptoed to the door, their food forgotten. Maria placed a trembling hand on the doorknob.

After a few more rustles from outside, there was a timid knock on the door which jolted everyone into shock. Jade leapt onto Chase, vibrating in fear.

"Yes?" Maria said, her voice shaking. The voice on the other end was just as nervous and seemed to belong to a girl.

"Please. I need a place to stay," she begged, and Maria turned the doorknob apprehensively. In walked a tall girl, who looked no older than 15. Her clothes were torn and parts of her arms were bleeding; everyone assumed it was from trying to enter the house. Her face was long, and she had extremely high cheekbones. She wore an oversized vintage T shirt, and her dirty blonde hair was partly covered by an orange beanie.

"You're a criminal?" Jade asked, still gripping onto Chase's neck tightly. The girl nodded.

"I'm on the run from my kidnapper," she replied. Her hazel eyes were sporting dark, severe rings around them, although they seemed as though they were clouded with secrecy. She looked extremely vulnerable. Jason's face twisted as he raised an eyebrow.

"So you're not a criminal?" he questioned, although it sounded more like a statement. The girl's face flashed into panic.

"Oh yes. I am a criminal. I shot my kidnapper in the chest so I could escape. His henchmen are hunting me down." Hamish stood from the couch quickly.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Henchmen? Look we can deal with cops, but Henchmen? Maria, she can't stay here! What if they find us? They're probably a lot better than the cops will ever be!" Maria put an arm around the girl and shot daggers at Hamish.

"Hamish! If we don't let her stay she could be killed." She wailed. Hamish had is comeback ready.

"Yeah, and if we do let her stay we could be killed!" he retorted rudely, completely ignoring the girl whom Maria was holding. Duncan spoke, an idea suddenly springing to mind.

"How did you find out about this place?" he asked sternly, his eyes staring deep into the girl's. Her face lit up in realisation and she gasped.

"Hey you're-"

"I know who I am." Duncan interrupted, getting annoyed at how many people had to gape at him every time they met. "You didn't answer my question." He stated, awaiting her answer with a furrowed brow. The girl blushed slightly and spoke.

"I-I heard my kidnapper mentioning it," the girl admitted, fear radiating off her words. Hamish laughed shrilly and threw his hands in the air.

"Perfect! A girl who is hunted by a guy who knows where we are! That isn't risky at all!" he exclaimed sarcastically. Maria shot him a furious look. The girl spoke again.

"No! I mean, only my kidnapper knew about this place. But I shot him. The henchmen..." she argued, desperately, hoping this would convince the people around her that she could be trusted.

Jade stared at the girl with narrowed eyes. Hamish had his arms crossed and was shaking his head disapprovingly. Chase was still holding Jade, although his stare looked extremely dangerous. Jason didn't look to happy either. Cara's eyebrows were furrowed, and Duncan's lips were pursed.

Maria smiled at the girl, ignoring the sour looks everyone was giving her.

"Look, you can stay with us for a while," she said sweetly. "What's your name?" the girl glanced at her feet for a split second before answering Maria.

"Skye," she answered shyly. Maria smiled.

"Well, Skye you can just go down the hall. The second room to the left is free. Make yourself at home. We'll get some food ready for you. Wont we guys?" Maria said sternly, staring at everyone. They all murmured a soft chorus of "yeah," "whatever," and "sure." Maria sighed at their lack of enthusiasm.

Skye nodded gratefully and made her way to her assigned room. Everyone except Maria was staring her down, as if this would somehow make her disappear. Her door closed with a soft thud.

Once Skye was out of earshot the room erupted in conversation.

"I don't trust her," said Jade instantly as she dismounted herself from Chase's arms.

"Neither," replied Hamish, staring down the hallway in disgust.

"I bet those henchmen will find us..." said Jason unsurely.

"How do even know if there are henchmen?" Chase offered, throwing the conversation into further uncertainty.

All of these statements received an annoyed grunt from Maria, as everyone started to share theories about the mysterious girl.

* * *

**Hmm... who is skye?  
Thanks for all the reviews! hooray we reached 50:)  
anyways stay tuned for the next chapter, should be coming soon**

**BFG**


	12. Protests and Decapitation

**Hello :)**

**I'm sorry i took ages for this update, i was too caught up in writing Check Out, which you should check out by the way (excuse the pun...)  
Anyways, since i've ressurected this story from it's brief slumber, i bring you chapter 12:)**

**Read, Review and Enjoy!**

* * *

The arrival of Skye had definitely roused a lot of suspicions, the most dominant of these being Hamish. Following his outburst when she first turned up at their doorstep, he now was being reduced to lingering outside her room at every chance he got. He swore that on few occasions he heard her talking, but Maria dismissed these theories as merely his brain giving him what he wanted to hear.

"Just lay off it, will you? If you start hallucinating I'm gonna have to nail you to your bed." Maria said tiredly as she exited Skye's room. She seemed to have isolated herself to the confines of her room; this did not help in extinguishing Hamish's distrust in the girl.

"Why else would she refuse to come out here? She's planning something, I know it!" he argued, feeling irritated at the amount of times he had gone over the same topic before. Maria sighed, frustrated.

"Keep your voice down!" she whisper-yelled, "she won't come out because of all of you guys and your stupid theories." She gestured towards the door leading into the lounge room, which occupied the remains of the Crim Club. "And the fact that you're practically setting up a stake out at her door every day is not very reassuring!"

Before Hamish could fire a counter attack, Maria turned around and stalked back into the kitchen.

* * *

After Hamish and Maria's spat, Hamish retreated to the lounge room to join Duncan and the rest of the Crim Club. Duncan was lying straight across the first couch; head on one arm rest, feet on the other. Cara was sitting cross legged on the coffee table, with Jason's back against hers. Chase and Jade were stationed on the other couch, and looked well encased in one another- it was hard to tell which arms belonged to whom. Hamish chuckled.

"Now when did this happen?" he asked, apparently scandalised that he wasn't there for an occasion as rare as a hook up. He plopped down on the remaining space on the coffee table and stared at the snuggling pair with narrowed eyes. Jade turned slightly pink.

"A few days ago; Chase invited me into his room for a movie, I said yes, and then it sort of just…" she paused, looking for an appropriate word, "evolved?" Hamish's mouth hit the floor.

"You two have been together for days on end and you didn't even bother telling me?" he exclaimed. Duncan laughed heartily. He ran a hand through his Mohawk before answering.

"We would've, but you were so busy camping outside Skye's room that it just slipped our minds." Cara giggled a little louder than necessary, and it was then Hamish's turn to be embarrassed.

"Well, excuse me for being vigilant! That's girl's trouble!" he defended, ready to launch back into his fierce arguments to condemn the girl that dwelled mere metres away. Jason was quick to shoot him down.

"Yes, yes we know. We're just not that obsessed. You're like Jade during a rally." It seemed that Jason had trodden too far. Jade bolted straight out of Chase's arms, now fully alert of what was going on. Jason's eyes widened. Cara, Duncan, Hamish and Chase however, were all staring at the pair confusedly.

"Rallies?" Duncan questioned," what like, protests or something?" Jade looked furious.

"You promised you wouldn't tell!" she piped up. Jason scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Well… I guess there's… no point hiding it now?" he squeaked faintly. Jade stared at Jason for a few minutes, the fire never leaving her eyes. Chase was stroking her back the whole time, and one glance in his direction saw her sigh and nod. Chase lifted himself off the couch to sit up for his girlfriend's recount.

"We were 15." Jade started, "Jason and me went to school together. One day, the Principal addressed us in an assembly, and said that they'd be chopping down some trees in the back of the school to make way for a new block of classrooms."

Everyone was now staring at Jade. She never talked about her past before, and the significance of the moment was made apparent when Maria tiptoed into the room and kneeled on the floor next to Duncan's head.

"Jason and I were furious. We didn't talk much before that, but when we found out were both angry about the new "renovations" we joined together to put a stop to it. We formed a small group of students who shared our views, and organised a standoff."

"We decided to come to school early. We chained ourselves to the trees-thank the lucky stars that there were enough of us for one tree each- and waited for the lumberjacks to arrive." Jade's eyes never left her palms, which were resting comfortably on her lap. Everyone was listening apprehensively for what would come next, because this was the first time they had seen her so serious.

"They came, and we stayed there. A few flaked out, but Jason and I stuck it out until the end. It wasn't until the lumberjacks decided to saw through with or without us did the Principal put a stop to it."

"The Principal was raging. Jason and I went to his office and got yelled at for about twenty minutes. He went on about his image, the progress the classroom could've done for the school, and how the lumberjacks aren't coming back. He made a few points on how irresponsible we were, but his lecture always seemed to find a way back to him and the school." Jason snorted and muttered something that sounded conspicuously like "conceited old pig." Jade ignored him and went on.

"So we were expelled. The classrooms were built shortly after we left, and we were both going to a school that was a thirty minute commute. But that wasn't the end of it. Our protest was all over the news, and we earned a really bad reputation with most people. But for a few people, we were just what they needed."

Everyone shared fearful glances at what was to come next.

"Jason and I were at school one day, and this senior approached us. He said that he agreed with our views and told us to meet him at this abandoned warehouse at six that night. Since Jason and I were curious, we went.

"It was an undercover environmental group. They said they saw our story on TV, and gave us just what we wanted: a chance to express our views. They offered us a place, and we accepted. All we wanted to do was to stick it to our old Principal and protest about something we believed in.

"So we joined. Jason and I went on countless protests and raids. It was exhilarating. It was like, every time I'd go and get dressed in a black jumpsuit and trash an animal testing lab, I was living someone else's life. One glorious hour free from responsibility and regulation." Jade was close to tears, and Jason was nodding along with each sentence. It was clear that the climax of the story was approaching.

"But then, one night we went to raid a lab. It was the same amazing feeling, but then, the cops came. It turns out our old Principal tipped them off; he saw us sneaking off around town. So while we were trashing the lab, the cops turned up, and we dashed for it. The alarm was set off, and everything was out of focus, so I tripped over a bench. No one bothered to come back for me except for Jason, and we were the only ones the cops got a glimpse at."

Duncan then felt the biggest feeling of pity for Jade. At least when Duncan broke the law, he could always count on his friends to bail him out- Chase for example- but never could he imagine being ditched by the people who were supposed to be friends. The feeling tore at Duncan like an unwelcomed guest.

"The next morning, Jason and I were all over the news, so we hitched the next flight out of Canada and ran away."

Jade finished her story was a little sigh before standing up and going into the kitchen, leaving everyone else to stare at each other awkwardly, the sour pang of her story still lingering in the air.

* * *

Duncan, Cara and Hamish were having yet another band practise. It was magnificent. Duncan was violently jerking his head from left to right, gripping a bottle to afford him the illusion of a mic, and Hamish and Cara's instruments were blaring through the walls. "Na Na Na" was one of their favourite songs to rehearse, and when the final chord was hit, the three of them collapsed onto the couch in a heap of triumphant laughter.

A soft purr of applause was in the background from Maria and Jason, who were leaning up against the door frame of the kitchen. Chase and Jade had retreated to Jade's room, and Skye has still failed to exit the walls of hers.

Hamish wiped the sweat from his forehead with his shirt, and after a moment's contemplation, lifted himself off the couch and perched himself outside of Skye's rooms again. Without any music to marvel at, Maria and Josh took their leave to prepare the upcoming meal. This left Duncan and Cara alone to pack up the drum kit (a variation of pots and pans wrapped tightly in glad wrap) and Cara's guitar.

As Duncan started to dismantle the drum kit, Cara started the most absurd conversation he had ever heard.

"I…I heard that Blood Bath IV is coming out…" she said casually while lifting up her guitar by the neck. Duncan was puzzled by this, but responded nonetheless.

"Really? Dude, you into Blood Bath?" Cara smiled as she started to assist Duncan with the drum kit.

"Yeah, it's probably one of my favourite horror movies of all time…" she said timidly, it sounded as if she was treading carefully. Duncan however, didn't seem to see through her caution, and looked immensely pleased to talk about his favourite movie… even with the absence of Gwen.

"Me too! Do you remember the bit where the kissing couple get decapitated, and their lips were still connected afterwards? I swear that was the most barf inducing part of the whole thing. Talk about corny." Duncan chuckled at the memory, but Cara looked extremely pleased at this turn in the conversation.

"Well, I personally loved that part. The kissing couple are my favourite characters in any horror movie." She said defiantly. Duncan scoffed at her view, and punched her lightly in the arm.

"What is wrong with you? The kissing couple are always the first to go! They're probably the least valuable of all the cast! Why would you possibly love the kissing couple more than a whole cast of many more emotionally unstable characters?" he asked insensitively.

Cara moved closer.

"Because," she started, slowly sliding her hand on top of Duncan's, "the kissing couple represents love that blossoms in the face of adversity." Her voice had reduced to a whisper. Duncan's eyes widened as he withdrew his hand from underneath Cara's.

It all happened so fast that even his slick reflexes couldn't have saved him. With one swift movement Cara pushed her head closer to Duncan's and forced her lips onto his. And she was kissing him; it filled him with the most terrible feeling of guilt.

Duncan's eyes were wide open the whole time; it couldn't have felt more wrong.

* * *

**Oh dear... Cara, Cara, Cara**

**And now, the drama escelates :)**

**What will happen after the kiss? Who wants to hear more of Chase and Jade's hook up? And where did Skye Disapear off to?**

**Well, just stay tuned for the next chapter, and i can guarrantee that the first and third questions will be revealed.**

**as for the second... we shall see...**

**Stay Golden  
BFG**


	13. I Told You So

**Good Day :)**

**Chapter 13 is here!  
Sorry if it's really short. But don't fret, I've planned out the remaining chapters, and they're bound to be longer :) **

**Read, Review and Enjoy!**

* * *

Everyone had rushed into the lounge room (except for Skye) at the collapse of the drum kit, and all gasped in unison at the sight of Duncan and Cara joined at the lips. Duncan's hands were firmly on Cara's shoulders, using all his strength to push her away. His insides were contracting with the most disgusting feeling of... wrongness. There was no other way to put it. With a furious grunt, Duncan shoved his band mate away from him; Cara was shivering. No one dared to speak.

"Duncan-"

Before she could justify her actions, Duncan quickly strode out of the lounge. He walked into his room and slammed the door behind him. He felt the ugliest feeling gnaw at him: guilt. He felt like he had betrayed... Gwen. His guilt escalated.

Should he feel bad for Courtney? The fact that he regrets Cara's kissing him because he feels he had cheated on Gwen, made him feel like he should at least feel a bit guilty about cheating on Courtney. He was her girlfriend after all...

He almost felt obligated to mourn over his infidelity to Courtney rather than Gwen, which made him more irritated with her. Even when Courtney wasn't here she still managed to force him to do something he didn't want to do.

Duncan kicked his bed in frustration, wondering where he should place his regret. Courtney was the right thing to do, but Gwen was what he truly felt. Duncan paced his room. He wasn't in the wrong anyway- she kissed him, so he should bestow his guilt on whomever he deemed necessary. The delinquent's mind was racing. He had just been kissed by the last girl he had ever expected, and here he was debating about where his remorse should be directed to- was there even a right answer? The simple boundary of right and wrong had blurred into a mysterious shade of grey. He felt that he had betrayed Gwen, but what was there to betray? There was nothing there to break up...

He sat down clumsily, resting his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry, Gwen," he whispered.

* * *

Duncan sat on the couch alone. The atmosphere in the Crim Club seemed to have lost its usual laid back attitude. Tension was lingering in the air irritatingly. Isn't it amazing how one kiss can change everything? Chase and Jade sat on the other couch, Jade's head resting on Chase's shoulder. Jason and Maria were in the rooms, as was Hamish and Cara. Duncan simply resorted to twiddling his thumbs to occupy him, as another band practise seemed foolishly impossible.

Hamish emerged from his room a few minutes later. Duncan really didn't feel like conversation, and was relieved when he plopped himself in front of Skye's room once again. A small smirk played at Duncan's lips for his childish obsession with the girl.

Suddenly, Duncan heard a hoarse gasp erupt from the hallway. He stood, desperate for anything to occupy him.

"I knew it!" he heard Hamish's eager voice exclaim. Duncan came up to Hamish apprehensively, followed closely by Jade and Chase.

"What?" Chase inquired, asking the question on Duncan's lips before he could. Hamish fastened his hand to the door knob.

"She's up to something! Listen." Hamish whispered, pressing his ear up against the door. Duncan shook his head patronizingly, but complied nonetheless- perhaps it was to humour him, or maybe he simply needed somebody else as the centre of attention. Duncan was expecting to hear nothing, but to his utter shock, it seemed that Hamish's 24 hour probation wasn't so fat fetched after all.

"I… I can't do this anymore," Skye's desperate voice leaked through the walls so easily that Duncan didn't even need to press his cheek against the door. Cara and Jason had found their way out of their rooms and around Skye's door soon after.

"What-"Cara began.

Duncan hissed roughly over her voice to silence her. He knew that he shouldn't have been so harsh with her, but at that moment he had an unimaginable amount of anger bubbling inside of him because of her kiss, and he just had to let out some of his emotion in any way possible. Plus he really genuinely wanted to hear what was to become of the girl they hadn't really trusted in the first place.

"They suspect me…" Skye said her voice cracking. Duncan suddenly became very nervous. He wondered who Skye was in touch with, and what would happen if she succeeded in her endavours, and- with a rather heavy weight forming in his stomach- he wondered if it had anything to do with him.

"So…so when should I do it?" Skye's third panicked murmur seemed to be Hamish's breaking point. Jolting Duncan out of his nervous speculation, he slammed his body against the door with all the strength he could muster. Duncan could hear Skye's pained scream seep through the cracks of the door.

Jade and Cara let out small wails at the sickening crunch of wood and hinges after Hamish's attempt to break down the door. Grunting out of frustration, Hamish backed up again and threw himself towards the sturdy door, this time sending it flying from its hinges, narrowly missing Skye, who collapsed onto her bed.

Hamish stormed in and grabbed Skye by the arm. Tears were pouring down her cheeks. Everyone else walked in after Hamish, all deeply engrossed in the small girl's betrayal.

"Alright," Hamish said. His voice was much tamer than Duncan was expecting, judging by the way he violently separated the door from its hinges just moments ago. He suddenly started thinking about Maria's reaction when she sees one of her doors completely torn to shreds. Speaking of which-

"Where's Maria?" Duncan muttered, much more to himself than anyone else; partly because he didn't want to distract anyone from the scene in front of them, but mainly because no one seemed to hear him over the unpleasant tension in the air.

"Because I'm a nice guy," Hamish continued, Duncan swallowed down the scoff that threatened to escape his lips; there was a time and place for humour, "I'll give you a chance to explain yourself. Who are you and who are you working with?" Duncan noticed that Hamish's grip on Skye tightened, and her eyes seemed to disappear between her tears.

Skye didn't answer. She simply stood there, her arm held hostage by Hamish, and sobbing uncontrollably. Duncan almost felt sympathy for her- before he realised that she was probably just about to hand them in to someone extremely dangerous, at which his sympathy melted away.

"Fine," Hamish concluded. His hand clamped even tighter (if it were possible) around Skye's arm, causing her to wince. He turned to everyone else, who all looked almost identical: eyes like saucers and mouths agape.

"Search her room." Hamish dictated. He seemed to be the only one with a voice at the moment, as everyone proceeded to explore her belongings thoroughly without objection. Duncan busied himself with her bedside drawer, which to him, looked like any other. The first drawer saw an assortment of hair ties, bobby pins, and hair spray- the latter which he stowed in his pocket. His Mohawk had been seriously neglected as of late. The second drawer was filled to the brim with magazines-

"Oh," Hamish said suddenly. Everyone turned to face him as a sinister grin curved his mouth. "I told you so."

Duncan was sure that he intended it as a joke, but if anyone would laugh it would be wildly inappropriate. So shrugging off Hamish's strange stroke of smugness, he returned to exploring the contents of Skye's bedside drawer. Suddenly he realised. Skye arrived empty handed. None of this stuff could possibly be hers. It must have been Maria's. Then suddenly his previous thought came itching at him again like that feeling one gets when they can't remember if they've forgotten something.

"Seriously does anyone know where-"

Duncan stoped dead. His head darted to the door. He had heard that sound too many times to mistake it. It must have come from the front. His hands went sweaty. His heart started pumping at a ridiculous speed. Why would anyone in the Crim Club cock a gun? Unless-

"Put your hands up! I'm armed and not afraid to kill!" Duncan didn't recognise the voice, but the words it spoke were enough to send him into a state of shock.

The cops.

* * *

**DUN DUN!**

**I know. It's short AND a cliffhanger. You must all be fuming. Sorry. The next one will be full of action though, so I hope you can wait.**

**Thankyou for your reviews, by the way :)  
Speaking of which,**

**Review! **

**BFG**


	14. Family Reunion

**Hello**

**I know, it's been ages! I apologize a thousand times over, and hope that this chapter will suffice.**

**Read, Review and Enjoy!**

* * *

Duncan's heart was racing. Everyone seemed glued to the floor, and Skye seemed to be sobbing a little bit more than before. Shaking his head, he turned around from his post at the bedside drawers and faced the others; they only had seconds.

"Go out the back!" Duncan whispered- although the urgency of his voice raised the volume anyway. He then latched onto Hamish's wrist and dragged him, with Jade, Cara, Jason and Chase all following suit. They formed a small train linked together and darted out the door, with Skye shuffling behind them, shaking.

The ensemble scuttled through the labyrinth of the house, knees bent low to enhance concealment. Cara's uneasy breathing shook through Duncan, only sending him further into fear. Trying his best to push his qualms to one side, he arrived at the back door and grabbed the knob with a sweaty hand.

He could hear the police officer force himself through the front door. He stood up and yanked the knob open. His stomach dropped. As soon as Duncan opened their path to freedom, he found himself staring down the receiving end of a gun. As if the prospect of possible death wasn't enough of a shock, Duncan nearly collapsed at the sight of Maria's hands gripping the rifle. The glint in her eyes showed no sign of emotion.

Jade screeched painfully at the revelation. She spun around hoarsely in an attempt to exit through the front, but found herself face to face with a police officer. His gun was also held between his hands, and the glint in his eye was much like Maria's. In fact, they were exactly the same colour.

"Father…" Maria breathed.

Maria's father nodded, grinning with yellowing teeth. He stepped into the group of terrified teens and took Skye by the shoulder, shaking her slightly and placing a big wet kiss on her left cheek.

"Grazie, bella," he muttered, "without you, we would've never had a chance." Skye was shaking in tears, and whimpered slightly as Maria's father guided her back to his post in front of their victims; his gun hadn't moved position the entire time.

Jade was fuming. Her chest was heaving up and down as she released another scream. The noise reverberated off the walls and Duncan swore he felt the pain in her voice stab at his flesh.

"WE TRUSTED YOU!" Jade bellowed, throwing a trembling finger into Maria's stony face. Maria remained still, finger on the trigger. Maria's father chuckled to himself softly, and Duncan's would've punched the lowlife's face in if he wasn't held at gunpoint.

"Give us Duncan and no one gets hurt." Maria said emotionlessly. Her fingers shook slightly.

Duncan knew it. His stomach dropped even further, and if he didn't know any better he would've thought it had fallen out of his butt and onto the carpet. A chilling silence followed. Duncan felt queasy. He couldn't tell if his companions were quiet out of fear, or because they were seriously considering placing their wellbeings above his own. He tried his best to believe he had the beneift of the doubt.

Cara was the first to break the terrible stillness. She stepped forwards, took a deep breath, and suddenly her hand was latched around Duncan's wrist so tightly he struggled to bite back a yelp. Duncan couldn't hear himself think over the beating of his heart as Cara dragged him towards Maria, her eyes like saucers.

Maria sighed softly. Duncan could hear her father chuckle softly to himself. Cara's free hand curled into a fist. Her eyes narrowed.

It happened in a matter of seconds, seconds that Duncan could barely comprehend. He was still stuck in a bottomless daze when he heard the swift movement of Cara's arm, the sickening crack of Maria's jaw coupled with her cry of agony, and the next thing he knew he was being dragged out of the house by Cara's grip.

He could hear the others' footsteps cruching the dry, desolate grass. The sound of gunshots rang through his ears like an impending death sentence. All he could see was black and teal. A warm smile, that infectious giggle, a minute smear of lipstick on the most mundane of onjects... Duncan didn't seem to care that his hand was turning purple from Cara's clamp, because he felt like his legs would've dissolved without her pulling him across the field.

Cara made a sharp right turn at a shed, sending Duncan skidding clumsily and the other's following suit. Maria's father skidded to a stop (Duncan could barely hear) and yelled something to Skye and Maria about a car out the front, and that there was someone waiting. She turned on her side and crahsed open a pair of green wooden doors with her gathered momentum; but that didn't do much to restrain the wince that escaped her throat. Duncan didn't even have time to worry about her, because less than a second later Cara had swung the back door of a sleek black sports car and thrown Duncan in carelessly.

He managed to sit upright just before Jade, Chase and Jason crammed themselves in next to him, shoulder to shoulder. Hamish assumed the passanger seat and Cara rammed her foot on the accelerator barely one milesecond after all the door were closed. It was an extremely tight fit, and the speed that they were travelling with would've made Duncan projectile vomit in a normal situation, but it seemed his dinner managed to stay down in a moment of certain doom.

They skidded out of the shed and onto the country road, travelling at top speed and no doubt violating every road rule in the book. Duncan had to hold onto the seat to make sure he wasn't going to go flying out the window, and Hamish was yelling directions frantically to Cara, who was turning a sickly pale.

Jade was still vibrating in anger beside Duncan, with Chase trying his best to console her and disregarding his own feelings of betrayal. Jason had his head in his hands, and Duncan swore when he heard the sound of screeching tires rear up behind them.

Duncan used all the strength he had left to turn his head around and glance at the car behind them. It was a murky white colour. He could see Skye crying in the back seat with Maria up against her. It was who was in the front that caught him by total and utter surprise. He couldn't quite tell which was more terryfying: Seeing Jackson driving the car like a maniac, or seeing Maria's father reload his gun and lean out the window.

"He's going to shoot!" Duncan screamed, but it seemed that Jade was way ahead of him. Still panting heavily, she dug under the seat until she emerged with a thin rifle. She struggled to climb over Duncan and Chase, but when she stationed herself at the window, her anger engulfed her fully.

She released one final scream before firing a series of bullets that hit the bonnet, the side view mirrors, and one even made it through the windscreen and missed Maria's father by a centimetre. This near death experience seemed to rouse the police officer further. He closed on eye, and took aim. Jade was still shooting frantically, and was too focused on inflicting as much damage as possible that she was too slow to dodge the bullet that was heading straight to her...

It was yet another blur. Duncan could barely remember Jade's shrill exclaimation pierce the air, but he remembered the horrbible red hue as bright as day. Everything was red: Chase's hands as he pulled Jade in and cradled her, the seats of the car, Duncan's jeans, all red.

It was the only thing that stuck with him the most from that day.

Duncan chanced another look back at the car, and he almost didn't believe his eyes. Maria had her father by his neck against the passenger seat, and Jackson was now leaning out of the back with his gun poised. Skye drove the car with shaking hands, her face stained with tears.

His eyes hardened at the sight of her, but as soon as he met hers...

Duncan stared into Skye's eyes. They were desperate. Even though the glance lasted no more than five seconds, her sad and longing eyes etched themselved into Duncan's mind.

It was straight after Skye's curious stare when she tightened her grip on the steering wheel, and veered the car violenly to the right. The bonnet of the car collided with a tree, the sound of crunching metal muffled through the glass of the car.

"What happened?" Cara asked, looking up at the rear view mirror, "why did they just crash?"

"Just drive!" Chase bellowed, lowering his forehead into Jade's bloody chest.

And so they drove. The had no idea where they were going, or where they could go. Duncan was a mess, Cara was struggling to stay awake, Jade and Chase were now just as bloody as each other, Jason hadn't moved a muscle, and Hamish's harsh breathing from the front did nothing to ease the tension. As Duncan's eyelids threatened to close upon him, he thought he saw a small flash of teal and black.

* * *

**Ewww, corny ending...**

**Anyways, that was a little action packed chapter for you. Now for anyone scratching their heads in confusion, never fret. The next chapter will explain all, and may be a bit longer than this onw. No promises, but I've got a feeling.**

**Don't forget to leave a review: CRITISISM IS VERY VERY APPRECIATED!**

**BFG**


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